


Shadow Riders

by the-eagle-of-masyaf (Dunkelherz)



Series: Shadow Riders [2]
Category: Assassin's Creed, Ladyhawke (1985)
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Brotherhood, Character Death, Creed, Drama, Established Relationship, Fantasy, Hurt/Comfort, King - Freeform, M/M, Order, Priest, Romance, Sexual Content, War, War Aftermath, War Era, Work In Progress, alternative universe, curse, eagle - Freeform, wolf - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-31
Updated: 2014-07-25
Packaged: 2017-11-23 03:05:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/617385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dunkelherz/pseuds/the-eagle-of-masyaf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[AU] The king is dead and the order has fallen. After the war has left the land in absolute chaos and with the new king being a maniac, Altair and Malik are outcasts, hunted by their former Brothers and prisoners of a terrible curse. Separated by day and night they're heading for the dangerous Border Lands, hoping to find the Shadow who'd cast the spell upon them, turning Altair into an eagle at night and Malik into a wolf at day. They're neither human nor animals, they are something in between. They are two riders in the shadows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Lone Wolf And The Eagle

Fanart done by [heardyouthefirsttime](http://heardyouthefirsttime.tumblr.com/post/79809080694/anonymous-asked-you-have-you-read-shadow-riders)[  
](http://heardyouthefirsttime.tumblr.com/post/79809080694/anonymous-asked-you-have-you-read-shadow-riders)

 

* * *

 

The lone wolf stood in the middle of the field. Red was dripping from the wild beast's fangs its snout covered in blood as it bit through the rabbit's neck. The cracking of bones was loud in the silence. It was unusual for a wolf to hunt at the end of the day when the sun was almost settling but there it stood, snow covering its paws while the last light of the day slowly faded. The beast lifted its head, ears moving as he picked up footsteps walking through the snow and it lowered its head the rabbit falling from its teeth and lay forgotten on the ground

He growled at the approaching man showing its teeth. Piercing blue eyes narrowed as the animal took a few steps backwards its gaze directed at the arrow and bow in the man's hand. The wolf watched how the man stopped lifting the arrow and bow and aiming for its heart. The wolf picked up the sound of scrunching snow behind it its head turning and fur standing to end as another armed man slowly approached. He too was aiming with an arrow and the wolf knew it was surrounded. Wild barking filled the silent air reverberating from the nearby mountains. The wolf turned its head again as the shadows grew larger threatening to swallow the beast in the darkness.

“Stop it.”

The wolf tilted his head to one side a small sound escaping its throat as it stood simply still.

“Are you mad?” The voice sounded terrified and whispering harshly. “Go! Who do you think you are to meet a wolf unarmed?”

The wolf huffed and it licked its lips as its eyes were set on a third man standing underneath an old tree. A thunderbolt must have hit it a long time ago as the wood was black looking burned and the trunk split in two. He slowly walked around it and the wolf sat down watching him with curious eyes.

“Leave the wolf and go.”

“Its poaching our cattle”, the same man said again and he never lowered his arrow but stopped within his tracks not further approaching the wolf.

“He's not”, the man said again as he walked towards the animal only a few meters separating them. “Ask your neighbor if he knows anything about your missing cows”, and now he looked up eying the second man and the wolf watched how he went pale. “It's been a hard winter so far and if I recall it correctly two of his cows died the other week.”

“What? What do you know?”, the man asked him, the one being suspected of stealing the animals.

“What I know is that your aiming your weapons at my wolf”, he hissed through clenched teeth and stood now next to the animal his hand resting on the beast's head.

“It's you”, the farmer hissed and he slowly let his arm sink down as realization hit him. “The man with the wolf.”

“Go”, he simply said again the wolf standing up pressing its head up and into his palm. “If you harm him your blood will find the ground to your feet”, he spoke to both farmers his voice just as cold as the air.

The sun was dying the sky turning purple.

“Don't”, one of the farmers spoke to his friend lowering his weapon as well. “Let him be... I heard he killed a whole village with that beast of his”, he whispered hoarsely eyes filled with fear and wide.

“So? I say we kill them both then.”

“You idiot! You know what they say about him don't you? He's not human. He can fly like a demon...”

The other man scoffed. “No he can't. Where does he hide his wings then? I say we kill them-”

He couldn't speak any further a silver light was piercing the shadows and hitting his hand the arrow falling with a silent thud into the snow. He screamed holding his hand up to his chest as blood poured over his wrist the thrown knife sticking in his palm. The wolf had his head tilted to one side his ears moving as he watched with almost curious eyes how the second farmer let his arrow and bow fall and simply run as fast as he could.

“You-- you!”, the man screamed at him his voice filled with pain.

“Leave or you will find your death through my hand”, the man hissed as he patted the wolf's head what seemed to be in a loving gesture. The man took a step forward his hand moving to his belt his fingers brushing over the hilt of another knife but he didn't have to do anything else, the man already walking backwards and then turning fully around running as well for his life.

The sun was gone, the sky dark and the first stars were glistening in the sky. Soon the silver light of the moon would spill over earth's grounds.

“I hate it when you do that”, Altair hissed his eyes still watching both men running back and towards the small village nearby.

“I didn't do anything. I didn't kill those cows”, was Malik's simple reply as he stood next to Altair his eyes following both farmers.

“I'm not talking about cows Malik's”, he said and turned towards him one arm wrapping around the man's waist and pulling him close leaning forwards and brushing his lips against his. “You taste like blood and your breath smells of rabbit. I hate that.”

Malik chuckled softly leaning into Altair and embracing him in a hug, his lips moving over his ear as he smiled, “I was hungry.”

“You're always hungry and-”

“Hush now”, Malik said squeezing Altair's hip. “We only have a few minutes”, he whispered and cupped Altair's face his thumb stroking over his cheek. “You just have to bear with it.”

“I will never get used to it”, Altair replied and he looked down between their joined bodies before he lifted his gaze, his eyes meeting Malik's. “I can't accept it”, and they both knew Altair wasn't talking about Malik's eating habits.

“Just a little while longer”, he murmured his thumb still stroking over Altair's rough skin his fingers creeping underneath the hood he wore. “We will find him and he will pay for what he did to us.”

Altair nodded slowly swallowing thickly. “But when?”, he asked softly and his voice cracked.

“Soon... you heard what the villagers said. There's a Shadow living in the mountains. I tell you it's him. We will find him and he will take this curse from us. Have some faith.”

Altair nodded slowly and he leaned forward once more kissing the other man. He pulled back just in time the moon's light standing behind him engulfing him like a thin blanket. “We'll find a way”, he nodded once more and watched how Malik stepped back his fingers falling from Altair's face and stroking down his chest, reaching for the man's fingers and they met for a split second before it was over and all which was left was just the memory of a touch.

Malik shook his head swallowing heavily and he looked up and into the sky. The moon was rising quickly and the eagle sitting to his feet was crying as it took off flying high into the air.

“We will find a way Altair”, he murmured softly as he made his way through the night and snow his eagle never leaving his side.


	2. Of Kings And Wars

They reached a small farm near the mountains and the moon was rising still. It was a cold night too cold as if Malik could spent it outside and his breath gathered as a white cloud in front of his face. Chickens were running around free and cackled loudly when he approached, his eagle flying circles above his head. Malik's aim was the small stable as he was sure he could find shelter there sleeping in the hay and stay warm. 

He crossed the small courtyard quickly. There was still light behind the farmer's house windows and smoke was rising from the chimney. An icy wind was blowing, now that they were so near the mountains and the weather could turn quickly. Malik pressed himself deep into the shadows moving without noise over the ground and stopping in front of the stable's door. Luck was on his side as the door wasn't locked and he entered. He was greeted by the smell of shit and goats. There were three of them locked behind a small fence, their manger full with hay which they were eating happily. There was another small corral, empty, and he moved towards it making his camp there. Above his head was a small window and he opened the shutters the moon's silver light spilling inside the dark stable and he waited.

He could hear the cry of an eagle and soon the flapping of wings as the animal flew through the window and settled on a high beam above Malik. He could see that Altair had already found his meal for the night a dead mouse clinging between his talons and he picked at it, his beak soon turning red. Malik watched him for a few seconds before he leaned back into the hay.

He wasn't hungry since he'd already eaten at the end of the day and he could still taste the rabbit's flesh on his tongue. Rabbit wasn't his favorite but it did the trick and kept him sated and at strength. Just as Altair had said he didn't eat those cows – he would never go near any human village during the day when he was imprisoned in a wolf's body. During the day he was nothing but a beast, a wild creature with no soul. At least when it came to the humans and what they thought about him. Malik didn't consider himself human anymore. Not since that fateful day on which his life changed forever from what he knew, a shadow which had crawled over his soul almost drowning him in madness. It had taken a long time for him to adjust – his body changed into the one of a wolf during daylight. Malik had fought hard for his mind to stay human. It hasn't been an easy battle and once there'd been a time where he'd almost killed Altair as he was at the brink of getting swallowed by the beast's mind. 

Altair...

His one true soul-mate, his lover, his heart and life. 

He was always at Malik's side just as Malik was at his. They were two companions walking among earth trying to find a way to be with each other again. As it was now, they only had a few minutes in which they could stand in front of each other with being both in their human form. When the sun was vanishing behind the horizon the moon not yet risen and when the moon was dying at the brink of a new dawn. Only a few minutes – it was all they had and it wasn't enough. 

Malik leaned back curling on his side and burying himself underneath a thick layer of hay looking up and out of the window watching the clouds moving quickly through the dark sky. He could hear Altair above him picking at his feathers in order to clean himself. When it was night he as well would change. He would be at Malik's side flying high above his head in the body of an eagle. Malik almost smirked bitterly. How fitting for him to be cursed like that. It was easier for Altair though. The humans saw no threat in an eagle. He could mind his own business and still be among them, flying over their villages and cities or sitting among them on a roof's top. 

Malik couldn't. He was the lone wolf.

He would wait for Altair at the borders of villages or cities when he needed to fill their supplies. He would hide in the shadows or behind high grass watching his surroundings as he always had to fear of getting attacked by humans. Altair preferred walking offside the roads as it was safer for Malik and still they would meet men and woman, farmers and hikers and they started to call Altair the man with his wolf. It wasn't true though what the farmer had said – they didn't kill whole villages. They never killed when it wasn't necessary but people were easy to lull into lies and Malik had no doubt about who it was telling these lies making it more difficult for them to find him. 

The high priest the one and only who was currently wearing the crone. 

Malik gritted his teeth his jaw hurting from the amount of pressure. His hate for the man was boiling hot underneath his skin and it was a hard battle to not get drown by it to hold onto love and life and to not get swallowed by the darkness of cruelty. Malik had to remind himself every so often for what he was fighting for – he would never stoop as low as him. 

The goats were bleating loudly and Malik craned his neck his eyes moving towards the beam above his head and he saw that Altair had heard it as well. There were footsteps walking towards the stable through the snow and Malik sat up his hand already on the hilt of his dagger ready to draw it if needed. His eyes were set on the door face turned into a grim mask and ready to fight.

The door opened and a soft hue of orange light spread through the darkness eating the shadows. A petite hand was holding a lamp so the owner would now where to step and a small form followed the arm walking through the door and closing it behind them a bucket in their other hand. They wore an old wool blanket around their shoulders and head hiding their face in shadows but Malik could see brown hair peeping out from underneath it. The figure turned around and stopped in their tracks as they saw Malik and he could hear a sharp inhale of air.

“I do not mean any harm”, he said slowly his fingers pulling his dagger free and holding the weapon in front of him as he stood up. “All I need is a place to sleep for the night”, he added in a small voice trying to sound as calm and harmless as possible. He watched them putting down the bucket and holding the lamp into his direction long shadows crawling over the stable's walls. 

“This is a difficult time for somebody to trust a stranger easily”, the woman's voice cut through the silence and she pulled the blanket off her head the wool falling around her shoulders in small waves. “If your word is all you can offer then I suggest for you to seek another place to stay”, she said to him her voice distant as she held her chin higher and Malik immediately knew that this woman's pride was probably all she had left after the war had rolled over the country tearing everything apart and leaving nothing behind. 

“I won't be staying long... I'm gone before dawn, I assure you”, he said slowly, carefully the knife still pointing at her.

“Are you asking me for my hospitality or are you demanding it?”, she pondered.

“I'm asking you”, Malik said swallowing heavily and he could hear Altair shifting above his head.

“Then put that knife down. If you mean no harm and if I'm not your hostage then there's no need for it”, she said and after he gave it some thought his eyes roaming over her body to search for weapons hidden underneath her clothes, Malik did and put his knife back down onto his belt.

“So?”, she asked him arching one elegant eyebrow and she hung the lamp onto a small hook on the wall.

“So what?”

“You want something from me, stranger. Why should I give it for free?”, she smirked at him and crossed her arms in front of her chest. 

“This country has seen so much cruelty over the last few years. Was it too much for me to hope for some kindness?”

She didn't even flinch when she answered him, “Yes.” 

Malik blinked at her as he wouldn't have expected such honesty and he cleared his throat. Altair gave a soft cry above his head and he almost thought it sounded like a laugh – damn that bird!

He straightened his shoulders as she took a few steps forwards trying to look taller than he actual was since she was almost the same height as he was – he needed to get back the upper hand.

“Do you live by yourself?”, and she gave him a small nod as an answer. “It's not safe for a woman all by herself living so far away from the next village and near the mountains.” 

She laughed at him and it was short like the bark of a dog. “Who do you think I am? A poor damsel in distress?”, she grinned at him though her eyes seemed cold and distant and she leaned against the wall only a few meters separating them. “Hardly. I can take care of myself just fine, thank you very much.”

“Didn't you hear what they say about the mountains?”, he pondered and it sounded like as if he was challenging her as if trying to scare a small girl with a bad bedtime story. 

“Which would be...?” She looked at him unimpressed her foot kicking against a small pebble and sending it across the stable. Malik followed it with his eyes and that was his mistake.

She pushed herself off the wall grabbing for a pitchfork leaning against it nearby and holding it up as she stepped quickly forwards, the sharp jags pointing at Malik's throat. If she wanted to all she had to do was push forwards and piercing through his throat sending him into the netherworld. He held perfectly still to not provoke any actions. His eyes flickered upwards for a split second and Altair had moved to the edge of the beam head cocked to one side and watching them. 

“Well...” Malik offered her a charming smile as he slowly lifted his hands showing his palms. “It would be more comfortable to talk if you wouldn't point that fork-”

“Pitchfork.”

“-pitchfork at me.”

“No. If it's that dangerous near the mountains then what are you doing here far away from the next village hiding in a lone woman's stable?” She smiled bitterly sweet at him blinking her eyes as if she was all helpless and not pointing that pitchfork at him ready to stab his throat if it was needed.

The muscles in Malik's jaw twitched his eyes narrowed at her and he curled the fingers of one hand into a tight fist.

“I'm chasing a Shadow”, he told her his voice stern and hoarse.

A shadow indeed, at least if it was true what the villagers had told them the Shadow living alone in the stone desert spreading death and misery where he touched the ground. 

“I see”, the woman murmured. “You're one of them aren't you? One of the Brotherhood.” And if anything he thought the shadow growing in her eyes got only darker. 

“I am”, he nodded because there was no point in lying to her, but then he shook his head. “I mean... I was. It's a long time ago”, he said and his voice grew so much softer Altair taking flight above his head and landing not far away on the nearby fence holding the goats back. Malik lifted one eyebrow in surprise as the pitchfork slowly sunk down and almost left her fingers as if she wasn't strong enough to hold it up anymore. She didn't pay the eagle any attention as he sat behind her and she hadn't seen the movement, her eyes narrowing and when she looked up at him he thought he saw... mercy whirling within them like a small flickering flame, its light spreading over her iris. “You can stay for the night.”

“Why?”, Malik pondered not trusting her peace offer and eying her suspiciously. 

“A long time ago the Brotherhood saved my life – before... you know, the war and the changeover of power”, she told him in a soft voice bowing her head. “You're not with the Brotherhood anymore – I assume you're a man who believes in the old creed. Aren't you?”, she asked him and for a split second her gaze grew dark again but Malik nodded.

“I do”, he told her and his voice sounded throaty as her words brought him back into the memories of a life he tried so hard to forget. 

“Then stay. The Brotherhood once showed me some kindness so I'm repaying the favor”, she tilted her head to one side. “You won't get any food, you won't get into my house. I hardly have enough to survive. You can stay in the stable and when I come back in the morning to feed my goats you'll be gone or I assure you this-” She held up the pitchfork for him to see, “-will meet your throat.” 

“Of course”, Malik nodded and for the first time since her arrival the tension in his muscles slowly eased. 

“Go and hunt your shadow if you must, assassin.” With her last words she turned around heading back to the small door and Malik caught himself taking a step forwards.

“Wait – do I get a name at least?”, and she turned around smiling at him though it seemed faked.

“Maybe in another life”, she said and slipped through the door winking at him and as he thought she would close the door her head appeared again and her eyes fell on the small bucket. “And give them their water before it freezes. They won't stop bleating for the entire night if you won't”, and with that she was gone, the door closing behind her and Malik could hear her walking through the snow the sound of her footsteps slowly fading in the night's silence. 

He looked at the bucket and from there at Altair. The eagle laid his head to one side making a small series of sounds. 

Malik gritted his teeth and he looked up at him – he was not amused. 

“Stop laughing Altair.”


	3. Snow White

He woke up to a warm body pressing up against his own frame, a nose brushing underneath his ear and hot breath curling across it. Malik cracked one eye open and turned his head towards the source of heat. "Is it morning already?", he asked his voice hoarse from sleep. "Almost", Altair whispered back, naked and hovering above him kissing his neck and shoulder-blade since the other man was lying on his stomach. He took a deep breath in, goosebumps spreading over his skin due to the cold and he pushed closer still as he tried to steal some of Malik's body warmth.

The goats were bleating in the background.

Malik pushed himself off the ground and faced Altair as he laid on his back, his Eagle straddling his lap and leaning down meeting his lips in a kiss. His hand stroke over Altair's back, following his spine until his fingers curled in Altair's short hair above his neck. He groaned softly as his tongue invaded his mouth, lips parting almost -almost!- eagerly, his hips rolling underneath Altair's. "We go into the mountains today", he whispered breathless as they separated, their foreheads touching and Altair nodded, lips still parted as he kissed a line down to Malik's collar.

"Altair..."

They didn't have time for this – Altair knew that. They never did but that didn't stop him from worshiping the man's body whenever he got the chance. It pained him deeply kissing him like that, feeling Malik's skin underneath his fingers when he followed every bump and small depression, feeling Malik's muscles working when he shuddered with desire. It paned him deeply to know it could never be more like this, that it would only take a few more minutes and one of them would change back. He looked up when Malik cupped his face making him meeting his gaze. "Don't do anything foolish today."

Altair blinked at him his eyes growing innocent. "What foolish thing should I do?", he pondered quietly.

"We might be already at the end of our journey – _if_ it's true what the villagers say, Let's not do anything rash", he murmured softly, pulling Altair back down to place a small kiss to the corner of his mouth, warm air crawling over his face.

"He will die by my blade", he said as he withdraw from Malik, sitting up on his hips and looking down on him, the muscles in his jaw and shoulders tensing.

"If I won't kill him beforehand", Malik smirked up at him, offering Altair a lopsided grin even though it was shallow and empty as the first rays of a newborn sun fell through the stable's cracks. Only a few more minutes – that's all they really wanted but it was too much to ask for. They didn't have the day just as much as they didn't have the night. All they had were the shadows between day and night.

"I doubt it", Altair said and sat back climbing off of Malik's lap. He traced his fingers along Malik's hips relishing the last moment of touch, the feeling of skin against skin before it would turn into nothing more but a memory.

He sat for a little while longer the sun falling through the open window and warming his face and he closed his eyes leaning his head back. The sky had turned from a deep black into a depressing gray – a new day was there and Altair opened his eyes looking to his side at the wolf sitting in the hay.

"Move your hairy ass", he murmured softly although a smile was tracing his lips as he patted Malik's back and he sat up with a huff, revealing the cloth lying forgotten underneath him. Altair grabbed them, putting them on – this was easier than keeping your own clothes, they simply shared even though Malik's were a bit to loose around his shoulders and waist but it did the trick and kept him from walking around naked. He stretched as he stood up, his bones popping loudly as they snapped back into their places and Altair rolled his head from one side to the other. He quickly gathered their belongings and whistled softly once he was done. Malik had watched him lazily, his head resting on his front paws but now his ears rose and he followed him suit.

Altair opened the door and carefully peered around the edge to see if anybody was out there who could watch them leave. Something wet touched his palm and he looked down, Malik was nudging him urging him to move. "Patience now", he told him and placed two fingers over the wolf's snout pressing lightly to hold him back. When he was sure that it was alright for him to walk across the courtyard he stepped outside only to stop dead within his tracks.

"I thought I better check to see if he really left – I didn't expect finding you instead."

Altair's eyes slowly turned to watch Malik still sitting in the stable's shadows, a knife held tightly to his throat and the steal threatening to eat its way into his skin. He swallowed hard and the blade scratched over his Adam's Apple.

"Who are you and where is _he_?" It was that woman again, the one Malik had talked to the evening before. He knew that it'd been a mistake staying for so long waiting for him and Malik to change back – but to be honest it'd been worth it and he would've almost smiled as he could still taste Malik on his lips.

"I have no idea what you're talking about", he said softy and turned towards her but the knife never left his throat. He was getting tired of this, of her, of the winter and the fucking people living in these lands.

"I didn't know you were two", she said, "so where's your friend?" She slowly pushed out of the shadows, her arm outstretched as she held the knife close to his throat eying him over the blade.

Altair whistled again and Malik was lifting his heavy body off the ground, his head low between his shoulders and he shuffled lazily towards him, standing next to Altair's frame and the man put his hand on top of his head, scratching him behind one ear lovingly. "It's just us", he told her, watching how her eyes went wide with fear and he grinned smugly at her, satisfied with her reaction.

"That's... a wolf", she breathed slowly and for a split second the hold she had of her knife wasn't as steady as before but she caught herself quickly and Altair arched one eyebrow at her, impressed.

"Well it seems your eyesight is quite perfect – that's indeed a wolf. _Mine_ wolf. And he doesn't like it when somebody's pointing a weapon at me. Not. One. Bit." Malik didn't look very interested as he sat back, his head tilted to one side as he watched a chicken running over the ground. He huffed then and lowered himself onto the ground lying on his side in the snow, tongue hanging out between his fangs and he... _yawned_.

Altair forced his facial expression into a neutral one as he watched the woman who was starting to smile. "I see – such a wild beast", she chuckled and slowly walked around Altair, her knife never leaving its position until she reached Malik, crouching down next to his side and scratching him underneath his chin. His leg twitched and his eyes closed as if he was enjoying it. What a traitor.

"It's such a pity a beautiful creature like him has to travel with such a smug bastard", she murmured, her fingers vanishing in Malik's thick fur, her eyes resting firmly on Altair's frame.

"If he continues behaving like this I won't travel much longer with him", he muttered underneath his breath and Malik made a long satisfied sound, craning his neck to offer her fingers more access.

"Good for him then", she grinned smugly at him before she sat up again, her smile slowly dying on her lips. "Now... your friend. The assassin. Where is he." She quickly turned back to business.

"Not here", he told her and she glared angry at him, taking a step forwards until the tip of the blade met the skin of his throat and he could feel how it cut him. Malik lifted his head next to his side looking up at her and Altair could tell she was about to lose her patience.

"I could kill you any second so you better start showing some manners", she ordered and Malik growled. Her eyes fell down on him, watching how he slowly put his body into motion taking his stand next to Altair's side and he would have almost rolled his eyes – this was about time to remember who he belonged to!

"I mean you as much harm as my friend did. There's no need for you to pull your weapon on me", he assured her, taking slowly a step back as Malik went one forwards. The woman stood still. "I was about to leave. I didn't take anything from you - you can go and look, your goats are still there. I don't want food or anything else from you", he explained to her, his voice gentle and each letter rolling softly over his tongue. Her body was rigid and her hand ever so slightly shaking and it was now that Altair really watched her. When she walked she was limping, pulling her right foot behind. There was a scar on her throat and he could only see it now because her scarf got loose, revealing some of her pale skin. The flesh was red and padded – this wasn't some old scar but a new one, maybe only a year old. Her clothes were old and torn at most places, the skin on her fingers dry and chapped. These animals were probably all she had and he assumed hunger was a constant companion for her from how thin and worn out she looked.

"I won't harm you", he said again and clicked with his tongue, calling Malik back and the wolf sat back down again, snow clinging to his long fur. "But if you don't lower that knife he _will kill_ you if you make a move to harm me."

She frowned at him and he could see the thoughts rotating inside her head as she weighed all of her options – she wouldn't have a chance against a wolf, she knew that. Malik would be too fast, too strong for her to fight him off. She could harm him with the knife but he could bite off her hand and be done with her in only a few seconds – and he would if it was needed.

"Where are you from?", he asked her as she slowly put the knife away. "You're skin is far too pale as if you could be from here."

"The Island", she said and her look grew distant and her voice cold. She wrapped her coat tightly around her shoulders and met Altair's gaze. He didn't ask any further – her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

"You're one of them", Altair noticed and looked down between their bodies watching how she shifted her weight as if she was nervous. "I should have known. You don't see Whiteskins often anymore in these days."

"No you don't", she barked at him and he thought he could see tears glistening in her eyes but maybe it was only bright light reflecting from the snow causing them to water. "Thanks to your new _king_ ", she spat the last word to his feet.

"He's not my king", he said and pulled Malik's clothes tightly around his shoulders pushing the scarf over his mouth and nose as the air was cold and cutting into his skin like razorblades. He reached for the cowl and pulled it deep into his face as well. He was ready to go and wouldn't waste any more of his time talking to that woman. He could be polite if he wanted to – he could make conversation if he wanted to. But she had lowered her knife, no longer threatening to slit his throat so his business with her was done. "And this is not a conversation we're going to have", he noted and pointed one finger at her and he noticed how she looked at his missing finger for a split second.

"So you're his Brother – an assassin as well", she stated dryly.

"We once were", he said quietly his voice distant and hoarse, nodding swiftly and trying to walk pass her but she put her hand on his forearm, keeping him by her side. "If you want to hunt in the mountains you won't have any luck. The pass is snowed in. It seems you have to wait until spring", and she cocked her head to one side in a mocking manner.

Altair gritted his teeth his eyes moving over to the mountaintops, quickly scanning them and yes, there were new layers of snow covering them much to his dismay. This was unacceptable. "No – I would say it only seems as if I have to find another way then", taking his arm away from her hand, starting to walk again and leaving new footprints in the freshly fallen snow.

"That I doubt", and he could basically _hear_ the smirk in her voice and turned around facing her once more. She stood there, knife still in her hand, arms crossed in front of her chest cheeks and nose red from the cold. An amused smile was playing around her lips making her look smug. "There were many who tried to pass the mountains by walking off the roads and in the end it was always me finding their corpses. You either wait till spring or-"

"Or?", he cut through her words. He was the one growing impatient now, the sun was continuing climbing the sky and the day was all they had.

"Or... I could show you a way", she offered, smiling bitterly sweet at him.

"No", was his quickly answer and Malik nudged his hand with his nose, huffing at him. "No!", Altair said again looking sternly at the wolf and again, Malik nudged his hand, biting lightly into his fingers. "Stop eating me", Altair growled. "I said no and that's it."

"Very well then", she walked pass him heading towards her small house. "It was nice meeting you and I hope for your sake you'll find a quick death then. Maybe your wolf makes the better choice and stays behind." She bounced a little with every step, her hands crossed on her back, her fingers rubbing over the knife's hilt. She seemed like as if she was enjoying this far too much and that was exactly the reason why Altair refused to accept her help. He didn't like standing in somebody's debt and he certainly didn't want to own _her_ anything – not at all.

Altair huffed, staring at her back before he rolled his head looking up into the sky, taking a deep breath in.

No. Just no.

Altair had made up his mind, turning his back to her and started walking through the snow and towards the mountains. It only took a few seconds for him to realize something was missing and when he stopped and turned he saw Malik still sitting near the stable his blue eyes burning into him.

He whistled sharply but the wolf didn't move.

He put one hand onto his waist and tapped his foot in an annoyed manner, pointing with his finger at the ground in front of him.

Malik didn't move.

He pointed again, his face slowly turning into an angry mask and still, Malik refused to follow. In the end Altair gave up and crossed the small distance between them. He stopped right in front of the wolf. "What?", he growled darkly and Malik turned his head towards the small farm, the woman still standing in front of her door watching them with mild amusement. It seemed like as if he forgot how stubborn Malik could be and Altair wiped his face with one hand, rolling his eyes and growling at him.

"Alright you big furball", he muttered underneath his breath and waved at the woman as he started walking up to her. She held her chin high as he approached her, a smile standing on her lips which he wanted to wipe off. Ugh, he hated asking for help and he especially hated asking _her_ for help.

Altair nodded, "Can you lead us then?", he pondered and she leaned forwards one hand coming up to cup her ear.

"Say what again? I think I didn't hear you correctly... meat? What meat?"

Altair pressed his lips to a thin fine line as his gaze washed over her face. "Don't test my patience woman", and she laughed at him.

"I will lead you, assassin, but don't think my help comes for free."

"What is it you want then?"

"For now? All I want is your name", and she crossed her arms in front of her chest once more, leaning with her back against her door.

"Altair", he said, his jaw working as he gritted his teeth.

"Very well then, _Altair_ ", and she smirked as she rolled the 'r' in his name. "You may call me Maria."


	4. Warlady

"Do you even trust her?"

Malik looked up at him and shook his head.

"Then why did you want me for her to lead us up the mountains?"

The wolf tilted his head to one side. He didn't know either – great. "So if anything goes wrong it's up to me, right?" Malik yawned, revealing his sharp fangs and then nodded. "Fine", Altair growled and turned back just in time, watching Maria closing the door to her small house behind her, wrapped in thick layers of fur and wool, a scarf over her nose and mouth just as Altair wore it.

"We can go", she told him in a muffled voice and he followed her steps. As he looked up to the mountains he could see that tops were swallowed by dark gray clouds indicating that the weather would be even worse up there – but they had no other choice, they were hunting a Shadow and he was hiding there. He wanted to believe that what the villagers said was true. They had been hunting him for so long now, almost a year has passed since that fateful day both their lives changed forever. And not only for them but for all of those living in these lands.

The war has ended the same day he and Malik got cursed. A new king has emerged from the ashes of the old one, the high priest and wielder of the Piece of Eden. Right now he controlled everything and while the war was over -a war which had ripped apart the country- it didn't stop the suffering of the people. Children were still dying of hunger, mothers and fathers dying of the fever and while the people had less and less to eat, the king raised the taxes leaving almost nothing for his nation to survive. The Brotherhood had fallen apart, now that its former leader was poisoned by the Apple's powers and he and Malik were no longer a part of it as they were outcasts, lone riders in the shadows. Their creed was dead.

 _Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent_ \- and yet their blood stained the earth.

 _Hide in plain sight_ – and yet the Brotherhood killed out in the open, now as they've become nothing more but soulless mercenaries.

 _Do not compromise the Brotherhood_ – and yet it was exactly what their mentor did by abusing the artifact's power to gain control over the people, over his and Malik's Brothers.

 _Nothing is true_. Yes, that he learned the hard way.

 _Everything is permitted_. And he would do everything to bring the Order back from its grave.

"So what brought you to the Border Lands?", Altair asked as she was walking through the snow in front of him – if she meant him any harm it was better for him to get to know her, to learn about her weak points if she had any and judging by the reactions she showed him as she talked about her homeland he was certain she had them. She glared over her shoulder at him, her eyes narrowed. She turned back then staring into the wilderness ahead of them.

"The war of course", she said quietly and her shoulders went tense for a split second before she managed to control her emotions once more.

"I could get so much money for your skin", Altair muttered, placing his finger into her most obvious emotional wound. She scoffed at him rising one elegant eyebrow. "You could try", she said, and he imagined how her lips settled into a grim smile behind her scarf, "but you would die doing so. You wouldn't be the first one anyway."

"No", Altair said, shaking his head. "The scar on your throat tells me so", he explained and was aiming for his next goal – learning how she got it. When the words slipped over his lips she rose her hand, her fingertips brushing over her throat and she swallowed heavily as if she could still remember the pain. Her sleeve fell back as she did so and he saw yet another mark on her skin, a deep scar as if her wrist had been bound for too long, the rope eating its way into her flesh."You're good at observing, aren't you?", Maria pondered and Altair had to double his footsteps to keep up with her. She was avoiding an answer and he knew that.

"If I wouldn't, I'd be a bad assassin – don't you think?"

Maria cocked her head to one side and eyed him from head to toe, "Probably."

"I would say you've got the scar as you escaped your slaver", he noted casually as if he was talking about the weather and Maria stopped within her tracks, head hanging low in between her shoulders.

"I've got the scar as the soldiers invaded my home village", she hissed at him before she looked straight ahead, not daring to meet his gaze. "They herd us together like cattle. I watched how they slit my father's throat. Then my mother's before they got to me. My whole village died that day. I was the only one who survived."

Altair nodded and maybe it was pity he felt for her but he had his own burdens to bear – pity was something nobody could afford these days as everybody tried to survive. "I see."

"No you don't!" She whirled around, pointing one thin finger at him. "You don't know _shit_ about what my people went through, when your king invaded our land, slaughtering its people. You have no idea what suffering really means."

"If that's what you assume then I let you live in your believes", he said even though his own pain threatened to swallow him in a whole.

"I _assume_ your people weren't invaded by another country, people slaughtered because their skin held the wrong color. Wouldn't that be right?", she challenged him, craning her neck. Yes, her pride was everything she had right now and dear god, she held onto it as if her life would depend on it – which was probably true considering the fact that she managed to life almost freely in a land where she was nothing but a skin.

"I won't pity you, woman", he said at last and his eyes narrowed while Malik was huffing next to his side but he didn't pay him any attention. "It's a luxury for those who're still human."

"And you're not?" She cocked one eyebrow at him as the snow reached her knees when she made her way through it.

"I wouldn't consider myself human anymore", Altair muttered.

"Right, you're an assassin. Born and raised to kill." She scoffed at him and he wondered why it was she helped them if she despised the Order so much, but then again he could feel with her. He despised the Order as much as anybody else, now that their leader was a mad man. "I was raised to protect the innocent", was all he said and it still hurt to speak the words as it reminded him of a life he long lost.

"And now you're an outcast", she noted. "Like your friend. Which reminds me, you still didn't tell me where he is."

"Gone", was Altair's simple reply and to some point it was maybe even true. At least Malik's human form was gone although his spirit remained in the wolf's body. "He will catch up with us, you don't have to worry about his whereabouts. Just lead us up the mountains and we will find our way from there."

Maria nodded and they didn't say anything for a long time. The weather got bad just as he has predicted and the wind was howling as it cut its way through the high stones spreading out in front of them as they walked further into the mountains. Maria was a good leader knowing her way around the stone desert as if she had spent many years up there. In the end Altair just had to break the silence. "So why are you doing this?"

"You and your friend are former members of the Order – he told me that much", she said and her voice grew distant and for a moment it seemed as if she was lost in her own nightmare of memories. "I do remember the old days, Altair. When the Order did what you've just told me, protecting the innocent. You know what people called you, right? Keepers of the Peace. Before the war..." She shook his head. "I'm still standing in his debt. I'm simply repaying the favor by helping you."

"Why would you repay him by helping _us_? Shouldn't you do something _for_ him instead?"

"I wish I could. But I know what he believed in. By helping you I simply make sure he won't be forgotten and what he stood for. Keeping his memory alive...", her voice trailed off and he knew she wouldn't tell him anything more and he held his questions back, swallowing them. Better not asking her too much – he wouldn't want to get attached to the woman.

They kept walking and the snow got stronger, clinging to their bodies and covering them in a layer of frozen water. In the far distance, Altair could see it now; high rocks were emerging from the deep snow. As he looked closer though he saw that it weren't rocks but two figures – two statues to be exactly, at least thirty meters in height kneeing in the snow – their hands resting on their swords which were rammed into the ground in front of them. Their bowed heads were almost touching making it look like a gate they had to walk through. They wore crowns and he wondered if they resembled past kings of a country long forgotten.

"You can't look at them when you pass the Gate", Maria warned him as they sought shelter behind a large rock the wind ripping at their clothes. "They will kill you", she said, her voice almost swallowed by the howling.

"Who are they?", Altair pondered and peered around the rock, his eyes scanning the two statues.

"The Stone Keepers", she whispered quietly as if she was afraid to speak any louder. "They're guarding the path. Old relicts from Those Who Came Before."

"I though that's only a fairy tale."

"Well you better start believing fairy tales, Altair", Maria said and her lips were set in a grim line as she pressed them tightly together. She pointed at something in front of the Gate, something that looked like just another rock. "He didn't believe either", she noted and the wind became stronger and he could see that it wasn't a rock but a man lying in the snow – dead for who knew how long, his body frozen in the cold, skin all white and eyes wide except that he didn't have them anymore but black holes as if somebody had cut them out. He swallowed again.

"Alright... no looking at them. Anything else we need to know?"

Maria narrowed her eyes and looked thoughtfully at him. "You can teach your wolf to keep his eyes closed?"

Altair followed her gaze and Malik looked back up at them as he sat to their feet, nodding once.

"Did he... understand us just now?", she said in mild disbelieve, her look set on Malik and then slowly looking up at Altair. Snowflakes were clinging to her hair where the scarf didn't reach it. He shrugged with his shoulders. "He's a clever wolf", he simply said to dismiss the matter.

"You trust him. Let's just hope you won't regret it. It would be a pity for such a beautiful creature to die...", she murmured and run her fingers through Malik's fur, scratching him behind one ear. "When you walk through that gate you're leaving the Border Lands and enter-"

"The Holy Land", Altair breathed as he had heard stories about it when he was a child, about Those Who Came Before but he never believed in it. It was a story better be forgotten and yet the people kept it alive.

"I won't go much further. If I still want to make it down the mountains safe I have to go before the day ends. You keep following the path you'll find behind the Gate until you come to a cave. It will lead you to the other side of the mountain and from there you can find your way on your own."

She slowly stood up and snow was raining from the clothes like a waterfall. "It's the only path you can take."

"So I guess this is where we say good bye."

Maria laughed at him, a dry and harsh sound much like the bark of a dog. "It is indeed assassin. I hope you to stay alive. It would be a pity if these lands lose you. It deserves some humanity."

"I simply try to save my own cursed life, Maria. Don't think I'm some kind of savior."

She pulled her scarf down and smiled at him and even though it was a sad one, for the first time he thought it looked honest. "I still have my faith, Altair. Don't make me lose it." She scratched Malik underneath his chin and patted his head before she stepped forward and it caught him off guard when she leaned up, embracing him in a small hug as she pushed his cowl back, pressing her lips to his ear. "I hope you and your friend find your Shadow then – if it only means you find your own peace." And with that she let go, taking a step back and from the corner of his eyes he could see how Malik turned away from her, growling silently at the woman.

"Keep safe, Altair – these mountains are dangerous. And remember what I told you", she said as she walked backwards before turning around, leaving them behind.

He soon could only see her shadow in the whirling snow and a few seconds later, she was gone. Altair looked towards the Gate, eyes settling down as grim determination took a hold of him.

"Come on Malik", he murmured and took a step around the rock. "It's time for some hunting."


	5. The Thief

He run across the market place as fast as he could, jumping over baskets filled with spices and left shouting merchants behind him as he knocked over their goods. An arrow hit the ground next to his feet and he made a sudden move to his left into a narrow alley, its shadows swallowing him alive as he climbed up a wall quickly. He heard the guards behind him over his own panting, his heart beating wildly inside his chest as his lungs burnt and yet, he didn't stop. He flew across rooftops, his shadow running along earth as he jumped over gaping chasms from one building to the next. 

“He's over there!”, he heard one of them calling and looked back over his shoulder watching how another guard climbed a house not too far away from him, pulling an arrow from his back and aiming at him. He came to an abrupt halt as he reached the roof's end, the next house too far away as if he could jump. He didn't have much time thinking and let himself fall down into the busy street underneath him, a hay wagon braking his fall and he landed safely, rolling out onto the street with straw raining from his clothes. A young woman was startled by his sudden appearance and the jug she was carrying fell to a thousand shards onto the ground, water splashing the earth. He tilted his head to one side, smirking smugly and indicating a bow at her. “My apologies my lady”, he told her and watched her blushing, the smirk on his lips only widening. 

“Down there!” He looked up, the archer peering over the edge of the roof, pointing down on him and he turned back to the woman, shrugging with his shoulders and pushed her aside and onto the ground to run down the street once more. He could almost see the gate now and it urged him on even more. If he would reach the gate in time, if he could pass it before the guards caught up with him he would be free at last. 

Horses were whinnying in panic as he passed them, throwing down their owners and for a second he thought about just grabbing the reins and steal the animal but it wouldn't do him any good riding a horse in a busy city like Jerusalem, too many people and the lack of space would made it difficult for him to reach the gate just in time. He quickly dismissed the thought as he pushed a man aside, his angry shouts vanishing in the rush of adrenaline pumping through his body. He was so close, only three dozen of meters the most and dear god, he could almost taste freedom on his tongue.

“Close the gate, close the gate!”

No, no, no, no! 

 

The muscles in his legs were protesting, his whole body screaming at him for a break but he just quickened his pace, running faster towards Jerusalem's walls and he could see the guards already working the large wheels to lower the gate. Something hit him and for a split second he stumbled but caught his balance quickly. His left shoulder itched and grew warm underneath his torn shirt and he didn't pay it much attention as his vision became blurred, his eyes never leaving the wooden gate in front of him. He could hear the guards behind him, their feet scraping across the ground – they were slowly getting closer and no matter how hard he tried, he got slower not faster. The grinding of the hinges as the gear wheels slowly fell into place when the guards kept lowering the gate was loud in his ears and cutting out every other noise there was. He was almost there and his own breathing was loudly inside his ears, his heart beating and then, for a few seconds it seemed like time stood still. He knew he would only get this one chance and if he didn't take it he would spent the rest of his life in prison or worse, would find death once they captured him. The gate was closing and there were only two options left. He could roll over the ground and make it safely to the other side or he would get crushed underneath it.

He wanted to life and it only gave him one choice. He leaned slightly forwards, turning to his right and knocked a guard over as his shoulder hit the man in the chest. Half a second later he let himself fall, rolling over the dirty street. He held his breath, his eyes wide open and one sharp edge of the gate scratched him somewhere in his face, hot liquid pouring down his throat and he could taste the iron of his blood. Time moved on again and everything played fast forward. He came to a sudden halt, dirt and snow covering his clothes and skin as he breathed heavily, looking towards the gate. It was closed now, the guards standing on the other side and one of them was already aiming at him with an arrow. He quickly stumbled to his feet, seeking shelter behind stacked boxes filled with oranges, the arrow hitting the wood right next to his head. He glanced over his shoulder, the guards faces pulled into a mix of anger and desperation – they knew what was waiting for them if they shouldn't succeed in capturing him. 

He couldn't afford pity for them, forcing his body into motion again as he jumped up once more and running over a small stable, grabbing the reins of a horse and mounting it quickly. 

“Open the gate you fools!”

He looked back at them, watching how the men worked the large wheels once more but it wasn't an easy task to lift such a heavy gate in a matter of seconds. He smirked at them while he saluted before pulling at the reins of his horse, pressing his heels into the animals flanks and urging it into motion. Even if they would open the gate, they wouldn't be able to catch him now. He lead his horse towards the mountains and off the roads. The weather was bad, the snow high and it was risky to chose the mountains but he had no other choice. He couldn't let them catch him, he'd rather die than getting thrown back into prison. 

Desmond's lips pulled into a grim smile as he slumped a little in the saddle, exhaustion finally catching up with him. His lip hurt and when he touched it and pulled his fingers back they were stained with blood. He slowly let his tongue run over the cut, his lips splitting every time he moved them. He didn't know what it looked like but it felt as if the cut was deep enough to need stitches but he didn't have the instruments nor a mirror to stitch himself up. It'll have to heal like that, there wasn't much he could do about it. His shoulder hurt and for the first time he dared a quick glance at it. An broken arrow was sticking to it, blood slowly staining his clothes underneath it and he groaned, gritting his teeth as he pulled it out, a strangled scream escaping his lips. He breathed heavily, nausea rolling in large waves through his body as he sat back up, straightening his back and tilting his head back, looking up the sky as he tried his best to not throw up. He took deep calming breaths and the world stopped spinning. 

Finally, he felt his way down his body until his fingers found the bag strapped to his waist and he pulled it free, holding the leather between his fingers and lifting it up to his face, his eyes roaming over it. It felt heavy in his hand and yet warm. 

He got it. He really got. He would have never thought he would make it out alive but here he was, free at last with the kingdom's most valuable possession in his hands. The tables had turned and Desmond knew it. He was the most wanted man now and he didn't have any doubt that even children wouldn't hesitate to send him to his doom. He wanted to open the bag to look inside, wanted to see it one more time but he didn't have enough courage to do so. He had witnessed its power and wasn't brave enough to pull it out and let his eyes roam over its golden surface once more. This was it – he held fate in his hands.

He fastened the bag to his belt, clicking his tongue and pulling the reins to the left, leading his horse towards the stone desert. The sun was about to settle and he wanted to find shelter before nightfall. He would need to keep riding the whole next day if he wanted to reach the Border Lands. He didn't want to be any longer up here than necessary. As Desmond made his way further into the mountains a wolf was howling in the distance and goosebumps spread over his skin. 

Maybe he held fate in his hands that didn't mean he could control it – fate had already made its plans for Desmond Miles.


	6. All Is Not Gold That Glitters

The sun would soon go down and it was still snowing heavily in the mountains; they would have to seek shelter, soon. Malik was walking by Altair's side, his paws covered in snow and he shook his head, yawning and Altair scratched him behind one ear. He bumped his head into the man's palm, his way of returning the little affection they could show to each other when one of them wasn't in their human form. It was not enough, and if they would have to spend the rest of their lives like this... Malik didn't want to think about it as it took the air to breath from him.

 

He quickened his pace, walking a littler faster than Altair and going ahead, sniffling above the ground. It smelled like blood, dirt and _human_. Somebody was close by and Malik didn't know if it was a friend or an alley so he growled darkly, his fur standing to end and he waited for Altair to catch up with him. “What is it?”, the man asked him, crouching down to his side, his fingers brushing through the snow. He could make out the faintest of tracks but since it was still snowing they were hardly recognizable anymore. “Do you know the smell?”, Altair murmured softly and it was only because of Malik's good hearing that he understood since the wind was howling, the weather getting worse within the minute now. They needed to find shelter, better sooner than later if they wanted to survive the night and if Maria hadn't lied to them they still had to walk for another hour before they would reach the cave – neither of them would have thought for the weather to become _this_ bad. Malik shook his head, snow flying into every direction. They couldn't deal with this now – it was probably just a lost traveler anyway. It wasn't their problem. Whoever was nearby wasn't theirs to deal with.

 

Malik bumped his head into Altair's side again, whimpering softly and he placed his hand onto his shoulder, his fingers running gently through the soft fur. No, he didn't know the smell and maybe this was a good sign since everybody they knew from their old lives had become an enemy after the war.

 

 

“Alright... let's go and find a place to stay for the night”, he said and stood up, taking another step. Altair understood without having Malik to tell him that they couldn't afford to get distracted by just some tracks in the snow.

 

It happened too fast as if neither of them could act. Malik's head shot up, he heard feet running through the snow, but something was already knocking Altair off his balance and he slid along the snow, _fast_ , as if something was pulling him. Malik barked and all his muscles in his body went tense but he didn't move – if Altair had fallen for a trap he could just as well. It was the safest not to move right now but to observe – any rash decision could cost him his life. Whatever his next move would be, he'd better choose it carefully so he stood back, watching and ready to attack whoever meant Altair harm.

 

Altair came finally to a halt, completely covered in snow as he'd been pulled across the ground and indeed, Malik could see now that there was a piece of rope looped around his ankle which had pulled him along in the first place. Altair groaned and he pushed himself off the ground, standing on all fours and shaking his head. Malik heard him cursing and his lips pulled back, revealing his sharp fangs – it was his way to show his amusement. He carefully set one paw in front of the other, his snout close above the ground sniffing as he made his way towards Altair, trying his best not to step into another trap. A small hill emerged from the ground, not too far away from Altair and Malik crouched down, snarling at the shadow he saw moving through the storm.

 

“You better not move boy or my arrow will meet your eye!”

 

Malik narrowed his eyes, head tilted to one side and yes, now he could see it, the black of a crossbow held by a hand and whoever it was aiming for Altair's head sought shelter behind the small hill. He could watch how Altair stopped all of his movements, still on all fours and slowly looking up and towards the hill. “I mean no harm”, he called across the howling wind, another gust ripping at his clothes and hair.

 

“That's something I hardly believe – nobody sane would come across this path. So tell me, what is it you seek? Speak quickly or not at all!”

 

“Can I get up?”, Altair called again and Malik still watched, crouching behind a snow bank and trying to hide as best as he could manage.

 

“You can try. Let's see who's faster, you or my arrow?”

 

“Alright!” Malik could hear how pressed Altair's voice sounded, he was _not_ enjoying this and his patience would come to an end soon. “I came through the Gate, heading for the entrance of the mountain. I'm just passing through, that's all. The mountain pass is snowed in, I had no other choice but to take this route. Can I get up now?”

 

The crossbow was still pointed at Altair and for a few long moments none of them was speaking but the weapon was lowered eventually. “Alright...”, and Altair pushed himself off the ground, standing upright. “The wolf. The one who's hiding back there – is he yours? I saw you patting him.”Malik stood up and watched the man coming down the hill and well, he was a little surprised. He was _fat_. How could someone weight so much in times like these where there was hardly enough food to survive? Malik walked closer but kept his distance.

 

Altair looked over his shoulder, his eyes resting on Malik. “He's mine, yes. Why?”

 

The man shrugged with his shoulders. “I thought he was smelling my rabbits. I'm not sharing with a wild beast”, and he stroke over his crossbow before he put it on his back. He turned around to Altair. “You said you're heading for the entrance to the mountain? You'll never make it today, the weather will get only worse.”

 

He shook his head, “We have to.” Malik stopped next to Altair's side, nudging his hand and he looked down at him, their eyes meeting. He didn't like the fatty and there was something odd about him, about the way he talked the way he looked. He didn't seem like somebody who lived in the wilderness, he didn't look as lean and wiry as Maria. He was more like some aristocrat living in exile. Malik didn't trust him. Not. One. Bit.

 

The man eyed the both of them and his gaze lingered a moment too long on Malik. “I can offer you shelter for the night but I have to warn you, it isn't much.”

 

Malik nudged Altair's hand again but he didn't pay the wolf any attention. “That would be too kind. Although I don't have any money to repay you for the favor and- ow! Fucking hell, why did you do that?” Altair pulled his hand to his chest, rubbing his palm and glaring down at Malik who had bitten him. For a moment he thought the wolf looked smug. Malik shook his head and sat down heavily, head cocked to one side and watching Altair with an expression on his face that said 'I don't think so'.

 

“So he _is_ a wild beast after all”, Fatty murmured and Malik watched him from the corner of his eye. He better be careful with his next words. Fatty snorted once more. “It's not money I want from you.” The man came closer and Malik saw how snow clung to gray hear, a beard framing his face and he looked much older now as he stood close by. “I haven't had company in years”, and now he smiled, his cheeks and nose red from the cold. “You shall pay me with information. What news from the Border Land?”

 

Altair brushed some snow from his clothes and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “What news can there be? Our king is dead.”

 

Fatty nodded, lips pursed. He seemed lost for a moment, eyes growing distant and when Malik released a low growl he looked down at the wolf, smiling again. “It seems your wolf is in a foul mood. Who can blame him? Wet dogs just smell awful.” Malik huffed. “Come on then. Let's get out of this weather.”

 

He turned around and made his way through the snow. Malik looked up at Altair. The man shrugged with his shoulders and followed him.

 

 

Fatty's name was actually Hadi but Malik thought Fatty was by far more suiting – besides, Fatty didn't want a wolf inside his house and instead insisted on leaving him outside and in the snow, the only shelter the small house Fatty was living in and Malik pressed close to the walls. Some of the heat from inside was radiating off of it. He could hear Altair's voice coming in small waves from inside, “Why do you live up here all by yourself?”, Altair pondered while he was sitting on a small chair, a bowl in one hand a spoon in the other, eating some of the hot stew Hadi had offered him. There was rabbit in it but he just ate the broth and potatoes – the meat was for Malik.

 

Hadi shrugged as he made his way towards the small table Altair was sitting at, one bowl in his hand, a wooden spoon in his other one. “It's quite and peaceful up here. I think we all deserve some peace after what happened – don't you think?”, he said and sat down on the chair and for a moment Altair thought it would collapse underneath his weight.

 

Altair ate another spoon of the stew and let it linger a moment longer on his tongue before he swallowed. “Yes but I imagine it to be a hard life up here, especially now in the winter.”

 

“Men survived winters for thousand of years now but it's war that's killing us one by one”, Hadi muttered while he was eating, staring off into empty space. “I think the more important question is what are you doing here?”, he said eventually and locked his gaze with Altair's. “I've been living here for such a long time and only fools every tried to pass the mountain in the winter.”

 

“I think we don't know well enough to have such a conversation”, Altair replied smoothly. He didn't trust Hadi, there was something about him which made Altair just wary and he knew Malik was outside, sulking like a small child for not being allowed inside but if needed, he would make his way into the small hut any second, fangs piercing through the soft flesh of Hadi's throat if he should think about harming Altair.

 

“It's my right to ask, isn't it? I offer you shelter and food in a god forsaken winter's night.”

 

“We're hunting”, Altair shrugged, his tone nonchalantly and he said it as if it was the most normal thing in the world and it really was but not if your prey was either something human nor something animalistic.

 

“Hunting”, Hadi whistled and yes, he didn't believe anything from what Altair had told him so far but he could tell, for now Hadi would drop the topic “I'm not sure you've picked the ideal hunting grounds”, he added just as an afterthought.

 

“No I don't think so but sometimes you simply don't have a choice when you're hunting in the shadows.”


	7. Red Dawn

It was night and shit, that was never good when Malik was outside in the middle of a snowstorm, freezing and naked while Altair was in the home of somebody they had only known for two hours top – and since Malik was a man again it meant Altair was an eagle, and have you ever seen an eagle open a door? Malik haven't and he doubted Altair would be able to do so now. So, there was currently an eagle in Hadi's home and a naked man in front of his house who was trying to pick the lock without making a sound which was nearly impossible, no matter how good your skills were.

 

Malik heard a little tap noise next to his ear over the loud roaring of the storm and turned his head. He saw Altair sitting on the fogged windowsill, head cocked to one side and looking at him expectingly. “I'm trying”, Malik muttered and made a rude gesture at Altair. “Is he sleeping?”, he mouthed and Altair bobbed his head – well at least that was something. The lock finally gave away underneath Malik's working fingers and he released a breath of relief, pushing the door quietly open to press his body through the small gap, hoping it wouldn't make too much noise. There were only two rooms, a kitchen and a small, no, tiny separated room where Hadi slept at. Judging by the sound of snoring coming from it, he hadn't woken up and Malik leaned heavily against the door, closing his eyes for a moment and relishing the heat engulfing his body like a warm, soft blanket. He was freezing and his lips were slightly blue.

 

Altair jumped down the windowsill and hopped up to Malik's feet, looking up at him with his sharp eyes. Malik crouched down in front of him – he never really liked it when he and Altair weren't on the same eye's level. “Here's what we're going to do”, he said in a hushed voice and run his thumb over Altair's head, “we leave before sunrise before Hadi gets up. Grab a little of provisions... He doesn't look as if he'd starve anytime soon.” Altair released a small cackle. “Did he say anything interesting, something that could help us?” Altair shook his head but then tilted it to one side and Malik knew it was the sign where Altair wished he could speak – right now, it only meant he had to wait until morning when Altair would be in his human form again. Malik sighed, nodding to himself. “Alright... let us find some sleep then”, he muttered and grabbed a blanket from one of the chairs made out of wool. It smelled terrible but would keep him warm for the night.

 

Malik didn't really sleep that night, he had to stay focused in case Hadi would wake up so all he really got was a light slumber but he wasn't the one to complain. He relished those nights still even if he didn't get much sleep, they got him time to think instead. In those nights he often thought back to his old life and how it had all come to this. He thought about the Shadow and what he did to Altair and him. Of course the Shadow was no real shadow... it was what Altair and Malik liked to think of him. The man they were hunting was swallowing everything they ever cared for, was putting everything they loved underneath a dark shadow, killing everything of their lives. Malik hated him with all his heart. He knew once they'd catch him that not everything was back to normal – that would be naïve to think. But he hoped that he would at least lift this curse off of them which didn't make them human nor animals. He and Altair were simply something in between...

 

The time before sunrise was always something special for Malik. He could feel it tingle in the tips of his fingers, that it was time for him to change and when that happened, he stood slowly up, taking the blanket with him as he packed their belongings quickly. He doubted Hadi would miss his old rug. Altair was already awake, hopping to his feet on the ground and waiting for Malik to open the door. “Come on, let's go little bird”, he whispered and reached for Altair's clothes, getting ready to leave.

 

It was still windy outside but it wasn't snowing anymore and it seemed as if the worst was over, the storm had calmed down. Now he and Altair could see what lies ahead of them and Malik thought they could finally reach the tunnel today. He started making his way through the snow which reached up to his knees while Altair took off next to his side, flying a large circle high above his head before he landed not too far away from him. The sky was almost completely clear and the moon was still shining bright enough to illuminate their surrounding in a silvery soft glow. It was enough for him to see where they were heading.

 

They'd walked for more than an hour and the sky had started to change its colors, turning from a dark blue to something like purple. Malik knew that it wouldn't take much longer, dawn was starting and the sun crawling up the sky to greet a new day. This – this was the moment he and Altair lived for, what they longed for all day and night long, those few precious minutes in which they would be able to hear each others voices, to look into each others eyes as men. “Altair”, he said softly and stopped behind a small hill. They had been walking off the roads at least Malik thought they did. The snow was so high he hardly had no idea where the road was.

 

Altair had been sitting on a tree but was now taking off and landed to Malik's feet. It was cold, his breath gathering in front of his face but they both waited patiently. Malik could feel it very strongly now, the heat traveling through his body and his heart was pounding fast in his chest. He closed his eyes, hands twitching and adrenaline was rushing through his body, his stomach flipping as if he was falling fast but no impact ever came. He felt somebody else's breath on his face, heard snow crunching underneath another pair of feet, a hand coming up to cup his face with a thumb stroking down his cheek and to his lips. He leaned into Altair's touch, turning his head to kiss his hand, to forget about everything around him to only feel Altair. This was their moment and nothing, not even snow and freezing wind could change that.

 

Malik opened his eyes with a deep sigh again, looking into Altair's. “Good morning”, he whispered, the cold air painting his cheeks red, lips chapped. Even though he hated the Shadow for putting that curse over them, he pretty much loved the moment when he was able to meet Altair's human gaze again. “I'm missing the Wastelands”, Altair muttered, putting one foot over the other to keep his toes warm. “At least I didn't freeze my balls of there when I changed back.”

 

“No, you just almost caught fire in the heat”, Malik chuckled and buried his fingers in the short hair just above Altair's neck. “We're going to reach the tunnel today, it'll be a lot warmer there and I have at least my thick fur.”

 

“Yes, and it makes you look like a sheep – from a certain angle.”

 

“From a certain angle, mh?”, Malik muttered and tilted his head back, looking at Altair over the tip of his nose. “Better be careful I don't think you're a sheep.”

 

Altair grinned at him smugly and he liked those grins the best because it meant Altair forgot for a short moment about their burden – most of the times it was the only thing that kept Malik going, seeing the hope in Altair's eyes. “You know I like getting bitten”, he purred and if they were younger still, if the war hadn't forced them to become adults over night Malik would maybe blush at those words.

 

“I will bite off the little bird's head if he keeps behaving like that”, he muttered and leaned finally in for a kiss, lips roaming over Altair's. The moment was gone too fast, Altair parting from him again as they didn't have much time. “What is it you found at Hadi's”, Malik pondered and kept framing Altair's face with both his hands, searching his gaze as if he could find the answer there.

 

“Hadi was lying to us”, Altair muttered. “He'd said he didn't have company in years but I've found clothes which clearly weren't his.”

 

“How can you be so sure?”

 

Altair arched an eyebrow at him. “Hadi's _fat_ – those clothes were too small for him and they smelled like snow, as if somebody had been wearing them the last couple of days. They weren't old.”

 

Malik pursed his lips and nodded. “So what you're saying is if he lied to us once, what else didn't he say and kept from us?”

 

“Exactly.” Altair nodded. “I think we better be careful.” When he saw the look on Malik's face he sighed. “Alright, more careful than we usually are.” Malik still kept looking at him and Altair scoffed. “Alright, _I am_ going to be more careful”, and now Malik nodded with a satisfied smile.

 

“I've smelled blood yesterday”, he said next, the smile dying on his lips. “And it wasn't a rabbit's one.”

 

“You think Hadi could be dangerous for us?”

 

Malik scoffed. “Well... if you're going to be more careful and not run into another one of his traps then no. We can easily outrun him after all.”

 

“Shut up”, Altair muttered and give me your clothes, I think my balls are about to freeze off...”

 

“I don't think you want me to shut up when you miss my voice all day and night long.”

 

Altair sent him a look and Malik grinned at him. “Now come on... sun's about to rise and I won't spend our last few seconds fighting with you”, he muttered and leaned forward, about to kiss Altair. “A few seconds is all I need to-”

 

Malik stopped talking and he took another step forward, hands falling to Altair's shoulders. “Ugh, I'm...” He trailed off, his eyes unfocused and searching for something Altair couldn't see. Malik frowned, looking confused. “I'm...” But he stopped again, coughing and his face turned into a mask of pain. He looked down, then back up meeting Altair's wide eyes. “How could that happen?”, he asked, his voice thin like paper, the snow to their feet turning red. His legs could no longer support his weight, his knees hitting the ground first while he kept clinging to Altair's body, trying desperately to hold himself up. The mountains were in Altair's back and when Malik looked around him, the last he saw was the sun climbing up the sky, greeting a new day and spilling its golden light across the earth before the world turned dark around him.


	8. Snow White And Rose Red

The wolf was laying in the snow, bleeding.

 

Altair's eyes widened, lips trembling before he snapped out of it. Malik was laying to his feet, eyes closed and breath flat and shallow. Somebody had attacked them and he yet had to figure who and from where. The arrow had come out of nowhere, piercing its way through Malik's flesh and skin, making him bleed fast before it had caught flames and now was nothing but ashes blown away by the wind.

 

Another one hit a naked tree right behind him and just barely above his shoulder, burning the wood before it turned into ash as well. Altair whirled to his side, letting himself drop in the snow with his face close to where it was stained red by Malik's blood. He thought it was odd that this one hadn't hit him like it was supposed to be unless it was a warning. His eyes searched the world in front of him but there was nothing but snow and a sky slowly turning blue as the sun was about to meet the horizon. “Who is it?”, he asked and kept his head low, his fingers fumbling for the now empty clothes underneath Malik, trying to find his set of throwing knives while he crawled forwards, bringing his body in between Malik's and their attacker.

 

Another arrow cut through the air and this one hit the ground right in front of Altair, whirling up snow and dirt, the heat almost burning his eyebrows. So this _was_ a warning. His gaze moved back to Malik. At least it was a warning for Altair. Whoever it was wanted something from him, clearly not from Malik. “What do you want?”, he roared and he finally was able to grab his weapon belt, pulling his knives close to his body.

 

“I have a little shadow, following me day and night. A little shadow is all I see and it's what I hold dear and tight”, the little sing-sung voice said and Altair felt all the color drain from his face. “My little shadow's following me, no matter if I travel slow or fast. My little shadow's always there, you can't outrun him even if you're fast.”

 

When the sun hit the horizon with a green flash tearing through the sky, Altair saw him, his body massive and big rising right in front of him with a crossbow dangling from his fingers as if it weigh nothing while the shadows were clinging to his body, whirling around his limps.

 

“I have a little shadow, never far always near, and even if I'm small, my shadow likes to grow.” He slowly crossed the small distance between them, snow melting where he was walking. “And here you've thought you could outrun your little shadow boy?” Altair looked up at him, looked where he thought was his face but it wasn't a face, he wasn't human and all he could really see was a whirling black cloud, threatening to suck him in, to make him forget, making him a prisoner of his own past.

 

He stared up into eyes which weren't eyes and felt drawn to them like a moth to a flame. Altair couldn't resist, not this time and he pushed himself up on his knees. He was holding out his hand, Altair ready to grab it and their fingers almost touched.

 

“Altair!”

 

A throwing knife hit the ground right in front of Altair and he had to let himself fall back or else it would've cut him, breaking the spell the Shadow had over him. Altair looked up with wide eyes, shaking his head to clear his mind before he rolled to his side and reached for the sword looking out from underneath Malik's body. He lifted it with a scream on his lips, ready to attack and to pierce through the black vortex of the Shadow's body but when he turned back, he was gone. Simply gone.

 

All he could hear was his own labored breathing and Maria how she run through the snow and up to him. “Altair...”, she said again and stopped just a few feet in front of him, looking between Altair and the wolf.

 

“How could he find us?”, Altair snarled and he stared at her with flaring nostrils and heaving chest, his body pulsating with pure rage as he stood up, legs trembling. The sword fell back to the ground, too heavy as if Altair was able to keep holding it up.

 

“I don't know!” Maria looked hurt “I don't know! It was a trap don't you see?”

 

“Yes, I see very well but my question is if you're a part of it or not!”

 

He finally snapped, his fingers curling around her slim throat, pushing down and cutting off her air. She reached up for his hand, trying to pull him off but it was no use. Altair's eyes were clouded by hate and for a moment she was afraid the shadow had taken over him, her eyes widening with panic for the first time ever since he'd met him. She thought she saw a beast where there was supposed to be a man.

 

“Altair...” She mouthed his name since she didn't have the air to speak anymore.

 

“You're working with him, aren't you? You're a part of him as well!”

 

It was only the soft whimpering coming from behind him that made Altair let go of Maria, his gaze finding Malik. One of his legs was twitching and he was whimpering again. He let go of Maria completely and instead crouched next to the bleeding wolf.

 

“I'm not working with him. If I were, none of this would make any sense. Don't let hate cloud your mind...”

 

But he didn't hear, Malik's head resting in his lap and he stroke over his jaw and pressing his forehead to Malik's. “He's dying”, he whispered and heard how Maria walked through the snow. He suddenly felt drained of all his energy. He didn't care if Maria was an alley or not. Right now he just simply didn't care.

 

“He's not dying”, Maria said in a small, raspy voice. Her throat still hurt but she refused to reach up and rub it. “But he will if we won't bring him into safety.”

 

“Maria.”

 

She looked at him with dark eyes, pulling down the scarf to reveal her face to him. There were little snowflakes clinging to her hair, her lips pressed to a thin line. “He's going to die if we don't get him out of the cold”, she said and already crossed the distance and knelt down next to the wolf. She looked at Altair over her shoulder. “It's going to take too long to get him down to my home, we need to seek shelter here.”

 

Altair nodded, looking at her as if he didn't really see her. He watched her lips moving, heard the words but the held no meaning. All he really saw was Malik laying on the ground, blood dying the snow into a rich red underneath his body, staining his beautiful fur. He still didn't understand how this could've happened.

 

“Altair!”

 

His head snapped up, his gaze meeting Maria's. “If you don't want your lover to die you'll have to help me _right now._ ”

 

He nodded once and watched how Maria took off her coat. “Get dressed and give me your robes. We'll tie them together and use them to pull him”, she said quickly, holding up her hand without looking and closed it around the fabric once Altair followed her order. Only then did she meet his gaze. “Come on... hope's not lost yet.”

 

 

xxx

 

 

They had made a fire once they had reached safety in a small cave. At some point it must have been the cave of a bear, Altair assumed but now it seemed as if it had been abandoned for a long, long time. There were a few old bones, rotten hay and mostly dirt but they were safe for the night and that's all they really needed. Maria had started a fire near the cave's exit so they wouldn't suffocate but it was enough to make the heat spread quickly. Malik was currently laying on parts of Altair's clothes he'd put underneath him so the cold wouldn't eat its way through his bones. Later he would heat some stones as well, bury them and let Malik sleep above them so their heat would radiate off at night, keep him warm and healthy.

 

“Why did you follow us?”, he asked as he could no longer stand the silence which was off... He always enjoyed silence.

 

Maria scoffed. “I didn't follow you. I've followed a Shadow...”

 

Altair pursed his lips and looked down at his hands, still covered in Malik's blood and then to the sleeping wolf's form. “A shadow?”, he whispered almost brokenly.

 

“My Shadow”, Maria said bitterly. “Even though it's a foolish thing to do.”

 

“Why?”

 

Again, she scoffed. “You know, where I'm from they say it's impossible to outrun your own shadow.”

 

“I'm not after my own”, Altair muttered and scratched Malik behind one ear after he caught the soft sound of him whimpering in his sleep.

 

Maria laughed at that. “Of course you're after your own. Don't you know your past follows you like a shadow? And here you happen wanting to caught one. You're hunting a Shadow Altair but I say it's a foolish thing to believe it's not your own.”

 

“I've seen it. I know what he looks like. Malik knows what he looks like. We will catch him. One day we will catch the Shadow and he will make us human again.”

 

Maria looked at him for a very long time, the fire cracking. “You think a wizard will turn you human again?” She arched one eyebrow at him. “So tell me Altair, you have two feet, two hands, a pair of legs and arms and a face that's too damn handsome for your own good. What exactly doesn't make you human right now?”

 

Altair looked back down on his hands. “You've only seen me like this... but it's going to be nightfall soon and I won't have two feet, two hands, a pair of legs and arms anymore but a set of wings, a beak and claws.”

 

“So you think your looks decide about wherever you're human or not.”

 

“You said so yourself.”

 

“So tell me what doesn't make you human with a set of wings, a beak and claws”, she challenged him and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

 

“You know Altair, I've seen men behaving like beasts and I've seen beasts behaving more human than those men...” At this she looked at Malik, crouching down next to him and gently stroking through his fur. “For me he's more human than any men I've met ever since I was brought to this god forsaken land. I've seen men doing beastly things in the name of humanity and here you want to tell me you're not human with a set of wings.” She laughed, the sound dry and bitter. “It's not your looks making you human Altair. It's what you do that defines you.”

 

“Empty words, Maria”, Altair sighed and got up, walking back to the cave's entrance and looking outside, watching how the sun stood low dipping the world into red and orange light.

 

“Oh so I see”, she told him, getting up as well and following Altair with lazy steps. “It's something you've done then”, she said, a smug grin on her lips as if she'd finally figured him out. “So why did he curse you? What did you do to deserve such fate?”

 

“I've followed my heart, that's all”, Altair muttered, his fingers curling into a tight fist to hide his trembling, all of his thoughts going out to Malik. “You're asking the wrong questions Maria.”

 

“And what would be the right one?”, she said nose up high.

 

“How to kill a shadow?”


	9. Checkmate

It was so silent that Malik's shallow breathing kept her awake. Altair was sitting not too far away from the man lying to her feet, head cocked to one side as his black eyes searched the dark night. Every now and then he would hop onto Malik's shoulder, his peak picking at his shoulder and he would hop down disappointed when Malik wouldn't show any sign of waking up. “His wound will need time to heal, Altair,” Maria would tell him then, holding out her hand to offer some comfort but he would never take it. “I don't know this kind of poison the Shadows uses but I still have some of my own tricks.” With that she put the seeds into her mouth and chewed on them before spitting them back into her hand, then rubbed the mushed up seeds into Malik's wound. While black henbane could be used to kill a grown man if turned into an essence, it could also heal when only the seed was used. It was one of the many things she remembered from her mother and which came now in useful. She only wished her mother had lived long enough to teach her more even if it only meant she'd be able to save the man dying to her feet right now. Maria leaned forwards, brows narrowed as she saw the angry dark lines spreading like a spider's web around the wound and traveling up to Malik's heart. It didn't look good and she knew it as well as Altair did. She would never say it out loud but she'd be surprised if he would survive the night.

 

She looked back to the cave's entrance for what felt like the millionth time. It was still dark outside and it would stay like that for at least a few more hours – but for Maria, sunrise couldn't come soon enough. She thought she could no longer stand the silence, it reminded her about the time she was ripped away from her home and brought to another land where everything was foreign to her. She didn't understand the language, she didn't know the people, the heat was unbearable in the summers for her while she didn't have a problem with the hard winters – she knew those from back home. She was a slave, a Whiteskin, nobody talked to her unless she was given orders so she'd spent her first years in almost complete silence. While she did enjoy living on her own with only having her animals to talk to, even when she slaughtered them at one point, it was easier than to bear with this. She didn't want to be alone when Malik would die although Altair was sitting to her feet, but he was a god damned _eagle_ , she needed a _man_ by her side – right now. 

 

“I will go outside,” she said eventually and let her fingertips follow the spider's web. “Maybe I can find a few more seeds.” Her voice trailed off as she looked towards the cave's entrance once more before she slowly got up, stretching her feet. “Get me when he gets worse,” she told the bird before turning to make her way out into the dark.

 

The hours passed faster once she returned, Malik's condition hadn't changed even though she had chewed more seeds and spread the mashed up seeds over his wound. It was all she could really do, the Shadow's poison was not human so she assumed human medicine only helped little – she wondered then if what she was doing actually helped Malik. Or if it just prolonged the process of dying unnecessarily.

 

It was close to dawn when she noticed Altair cocking his head, spreading his wings and shrieking once. Maria didn't waste a second but grabbed her bow. A moment later she was up on her feet and stomping on the fire quickly, the flames dying underneath her boots before she moved slowly towards the cave's entrance. She hid in the shadows, listening carefully. It had stopped snowing and she had a hard time to hear anything but her erratic breathing. Whatever Altair had heard could be anything, from a small rabbit to a grown up bear. Altair had hopped to her feet, not making a sound – his near presence somehow helped her calm down. Maria kept listening and then she could hear it herself. Somebody was walking through the snow, trying their very best to keep it quiet but Maria couldn't be fooled. The noise was coming from her left and she slowly drew an arrow from her back, making herself ready to attack. The steps were coming closer, were almost at the entrance of the cave before they stopped. Maria held her breath, listening. Nothing. She looked at the bird to her feet, his dark eyes sharp and focused.

 

He suddenly pushed himself from the ground, spreading his wing and took up into the night with a sudden sharp cry. It even startled Maria but it startled the person coming closer even more.

 

“Fucking shit!”, she heard a man yell in surprise, followed by a lot thud as if something was dropped into the snow. “Damn bird,” he muttered next, Maria hearing how snow was pushed aside. “Almost gave me a heart attack...”

 

She didn't waste another moment. Maria whirled around and came up from her hiding spot, her arrow pointed to where she'd heard the voice the last time aiming directly at their heart. “If you value your life you won't come any closer,” she hissed and her arrow was trembling with how tight she held it – she could let go within half a second, killing the man standing only a few feet away from her.

 

“Whoa!” They held up their arms, taking a step back. “What the...!” There was another cry of an eagle just above their heads but Maria didn't look up, unlike the man. She took a step forwards and his eyes went immediately back on her. “Nobody sane takes this path,” she said in a low voice and noticed only barely Altair landing close to the cave's entrance again. The sky turned purple above her head. “Is that why a crazy woman points her weapon at me?”, they asked. Maria growled, pulling her hand further back holding the arrow in place. “Say that again and I will shoot out your eye. “What's your business here?”

 

“I'm a mere man on a journey, nothing else,” was all he said and Maria wondered if he was a man she could trust or if he could mean her death. She didn't dare to make that decision yet. “I wish to past, that's all.”

 

“It isn't”, Maria told him coolly. “You knew you're not alone. A mere man on a journey doesn't try to sneak up on somebody-”

 

“I didn't.”

 

“You did,” Maria nodded. “And you're nervous.” She pointed her arrow a little lower, aiming for his heart again. “You're not fooling anybody,” she said as soft shadows grew on the grounds with the rising light of the sun. “Who are you?”

 

It was then that he offered her a lopsided smile. “You may call me Thief.”

 

Maria arched one eyebrow. “That's not a very trusting name if you ask me.”

 

“I never said I'm a trusted person.”

 

“If you want to keep your life you should pick better answers boy,” she told him. “I ask you-”

 

“Maria.”

 

She was surprised to hear Altair's voice behind her – she hadn't paid much attention to the rising sun. She risked a quick glance over her shoulder. “Just kill him already and come back inside. He's-”

 

He stopped and Maria's heart beat faster. “It's ending,” Altair finished.

 

Maria took a sharp breath in and gritted her teeth – she returned her eye back to the man and just the mere sight of him made her angry, as if he'd been the one killing Malik. “You don't have any purpose for us here,” she told him. “I'm sorry.” She was about to let go when he lifted his arms.

 

“Wait,” he said and to her surprise, she listened. “Somebody's in need of help in there, isn't it so?” His voice had grown softer. When Maria didn't answer, he asked again “Isn't it so?”

 

She slowly nodded. “I can help,” he offered.

 

“It doesn't matter,” Maria said and her voice was thick with unshed tears. “There's nothing a human can do here.”

 

The Thief slowly let his arms come down and reached behind his back. Maria gritted her teeth, “Don't move!”

 

“I can help,” he said with confidence that made her hope. She wrinkled her brow. “Please,” he said and he showed her his empty palms. “Just let me...” He reached behind his back once more, fumbling with a pouch he was wearing on his belt. She watched carefully how he took something out.

 

It was a golden... ball. Sort of. She eyed the strange object, starting to hear white noise. “I can help,” he said again and when Maria looked up again, her gaze meeting his, she put her arrow down.

 

xxx

 

“It's a wolf. A dead wolf.”

 

The Thief was standing there with slumped shoulders, looking unimpressed at the dead animal to his feet. He looked up at Maria, she didn't had her bow and arrow anymore but that wasn't necessary, Altair stood behind him with a dagger in one hand. “You said somebody in here was dying. You didn't it's... a wolf.”

 

Maria gritted her teeth and she looked at Altair over the Thief's shoulder. He looked as if he was about to drive his blade deep into the man's back. “He was our friend,” she said and tried to sound as calm as possible. “Can you help him or not?”

 

He rubbed his chin, sighing heavily. “He's already dead, I thought he's still alive-”

 

“So you can't help him?” Altair asked and came closer.

 

“I could try,” the Thief said. “Although I've... never tried something like this before.”

 

“There's always a first”, Altair grunted.

 

The Thief crouched down next to the lifeless body, his fingers stroking gently through the fur. He looked the wolf over for a long moment before he moved closer to the fatal wound. “What killed him?”, he asked seriously and pulled his fingers back as soon as he'd touched the wound as if the touch itself had burned him.

 

“A Shadow,” Altair said and he tilted his head just so when the Thief whistled in surprise, frowning.

 

“I understand now,” he said and looked up at Maria. “What you meant earlier, that nothing human can help him anymore.”

 

“That thing,” Maria said. She nodded at the golden ball next to the Thief's feet. “It isn't from this world either, is it?”

 

“Perhaps,” he said cryptically and pursed his lips.

 

“Fuck it,” Altair grunted suddenly behind him and pulled the Thief up by grabbing his neck, slamming him around and against a nearby wall. “Will it help him or not?” He was close to breaking, Maria knew it – maybe he already was broken. He'd just lost his soulmate. She was surprised he was still able to keep it altogether.

 

The Thief tried to push Altair away from him but wasn't strong enough – nothing was stronger than the grief of a left behind lover. “I don't know!”, he spat and Altair's fist hit in the chin, making him tumble and grab for his face. He was about to hit the Thief again but Maria made two quick steps forwards and curled her fingers around Altair's wrist. “Altair, no!”

 

But he kicked after the Thief's leg, sending him flying to the ground and the fall pushed the air out of his lungs, making him gasp in pain and surprise. “Altair!” She hurled him back with more strength than she knew she possessed, shoving Altair behind her back before she grabbed him by the shoulders. “That's enough,” she told him sternly.

 

The Thief was moaning to her feet, blood trickling down his chin and throat. He looked up at them with wide eyes, shocked at the sudden turn of events. “What the hell,” he muttered and spat more blood onto the dirty ground.

 

“Altair,” Maria said again, more gentle now. “Let me handle this.”

 

She didn't wait for his response but turned around and crouched down next to the Thief. “I am sorry,” she told him and for once she meant it. “But like I said, that wolf was a very close friend. If there's a chance to bring him back into this world, we... we'd appreciate it if you could try.”

 

“Why the hell would I do that now?” The Thief looked over her shoulder and up at Altair. Maria groaned when she felt Altair jumping behind her, hearing how cold steel cut through the air as he pulled out his blade once more. “Altair,” she said sharply – so sharply it made him stop within his movements. She turned her attention back to the Thief. “We kill you if you don't try,” she said simply as if it wasn't a big of a deal.

 

The Thief revealed a bloodied smirk, “Many men have tried to kill me, none of them had succeed. What makes you think you will, you-” He didn't get to finish his sentence, Maria's pressing a small but very sharp knife to his throat, drawing some blood. “I'm no man,” she said, pressing harder, cutting him more. It drew a painful hiss from him.

 

She saw something moving in his eyes and her own widened – for a moment it really looked like as if he thought he had the upper hand. All of her muscles went tense and she expected him to move any second now, to draw a weapon of his own and striking her down with it. But no such thing happened, instead his eyes turned brighter if only for a second and she almost thought she'd imagined it.

 

“I try,” he said eventually and as soon as he did Maria withdrew her blade and sat up a little. “But I can't promise that what I have holds a chance against a Shadow.”

 


	10. The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning

Altair sat outside in the snow, knees pulled up to his chest and hands resting on top of them as he was staring out into empty space, watching how the snow looked almost liked molten gold in the early sunlight of a new day. Maria had kicked him out of the cave ever since he'd threatened to cut the Thief's finger off if he wouldn't start helping them soon. It seemed as if woman had decided that such behavior didn't help much and that Altair would be better off outside to 'calm down'. He couldn't calm down, not when he thought earth had opened up underneath him and swallowed him alive.

 

Altair felt as if he was falling but no impact ever came, his chest felt tight and his heart ached with every beat.

 

Malik was _dead_ how the _fuck_ could he clam down? 

 

He couldn't. He just felt empty, broken, lifeless. The Shadow had taken everything he'd loved and known a long time ago but Altair had been able to keep on moving because Malik was by his side. His one, true soul mate was gone now and he had no idea how life was supposed to go on. Life  _couldn't_ go on, the world  _couldn't_ keep on turning when his lover was lying dead in a god forbidden cave behind him. Malik didn't even die back in their home, Altair couldn't even  _bring_ him back home.

 

He'd died in the Border Lands, miles and miles away. He'd... always pictured it different. He thought Malik would grow old, right next to Altair's side – he smiled as he imagined Malik with gray hair before it slowly died on his lips in the cold again. Altair had always thought Malik would die before him because he just couldn't do it to his lover to leave him behind by going first into the Netherworld. He thought maybe Malik would die on a spring day because he probably would be too stubborn to die in winter because he fucking hated the snow – although Altair never commented on the fact just how much his wolf liked to run and roll around in it.

 

Anger rolled up in his chest like a summer storm. His fingers crept to the hilt of his blades and with one quick motion he pulled it up and threw it across from him, hitting a tree with such force that some snow fell off the branches to the tree's feet.

 

He didn't even die back home. Altair curled his cold fingers into tight fists. He sort of felt betrayed because this wasn't how he'd pictured it for Malik to end. He wasn't supposed to die like this, he... He wasn't supposed to _die_. He stood up, his legs tingling when all the blood flew back and he walked over to the tree through day old snow and pulled his knife free again. The cold steel felt good in his hand, a familiar weight and Altair had no idea how much blood that blade had seen ever since he'd started using it but he knew he'd killed with it a lot. All of that didn't mean anything because a mere blade couldn't kill a Shadow.

 

“Altair.”

 

He sighed heavily, his eyes closing for for a few seconds before he turned back around. He didn't say anything but waited for Maria to take the word again. “He says he's ready now for another try.”

 

“Another try?” Altair walked back to the cave, crossing the distance between them.

 

“Whatever that little golden ball is he has, it sort of... rejected him the first time. He tries again now. If you behave... you could come in and watch.”

 

Altair thought about it for a very long moment. He imagined how it'd be if Malik would open his eyes again, those bright wolf eyes and look up at him – and then he imagined how heartbroken he'd be if such a thing wouldn't happen. He wasn't sure if he could watch Malik die a second time.

 

Altair shook his head eventually. “No,” he said. “I rather stay here,” he muttered and turned back around, throwing his knife once more.

 

xxx

 

It was close to sunset when Maria came again. During the day it had started snowing once more but it wasn't a storm like it had been the days before. It looked almost peaceful and soon the sun would settle and he would lose his ability to speak so he was almost grateful for Maria coming out before it was too late. Altair didn't look when he heard her light steps in the snow but startled when she put her hand on his shoulder. He knew that gesture and he heard her saying the words before she even opened her lips to speak. “He said he tried everything.”

 

Altair looked up and into the dark shadows across from him where the forest started to grow with high trees scraping the clouds. The air was cold and it felt as if blades were cutting out his tears. His nose turned read and his breathing was heavy but he yet refused to say something – he didn't trust his own voice at the moment.

 

Maria squeezed his shoulder. “I'm sorry.”

 

Sorry didn't even start to cover it and Altair hoped Maria knew that and wouldn't take it personally as he shook her off and brought a few steps of distance in between them. He walked towards the forest with big steps. “What are you doing?”, Maria called after him.

 

“What do you think?” Altair's voice was rough and bitter. “I have to dig a grave.”

 

 

xxx

 

 

“Where's your friend?” The Thief looked up when Maria returned. He'd restarted a fire and the dead wolf was still lying to his feet. Maria had watched how Altair had managed to dig half a grave but then the sun had settled and he was no longer a man but an eagle. He'd looked at her once with his black eyes and then he'd taken off, flying high into the sky and beyond the horizon. Maria knew he would return in the morning, there was just no way he would leave Malik like that. She already knew the man must have meant more to him than he would have liked to show.

 

“He's grieving, he needs some time,” she half lied and sat down next to him. It was already late in the night, she knew she should get some sleep but her attention was drawn back to the wolf every time she felt a bit like relaxing.

 

“It looks like as if he's trusting you,” he commented in a matter of fact tone. “Why shouldn't he?” Maria asked him and noticed how he looked her up and down from the corner of his eye. “You're a Whiteskin.”

 

Maria snorted. “So are you.”

 

“I'm a halfbreed,” he said in a huff and crossed his arms in front of his chest. As if it really mattered.

 

“People still see the color of your skin, they won't know if your father fucked a Whiteskin.”

 

“How would you know my mother was from the Island and not the other way around?”

 

Maria snorted. “Please, no woman ever would chose a Whiteskin as a lover. And most women come here as slaves... They don't really have a choice about who they are fucking anyway.” She could see how he pressed his lips tightly together. “Oh, I was right wasn't I? Damn halfbreed,” she muttered underneath her breath only to get up.

 

“And you? Why does he trust you? You're no better than me”, he called after her. “In fact you're probably worse than me, you bare the mark and all...” His voice trailed of as he made a waving motion in front of his face. “You're obviously not even good enough for being a slave-”

 

But he couldn't speak further, not with her fingers wrapping tightly around his throat, making it hard for him to breath. “This is the second time you make me want to kill you”, she told him angry. “No”, she hissed close to his ear, breathing heavily and gritting her teeth so hard it hurt. “I'm better than a slave.” She grabbed him not too gently by the neck with her other hand. “At least I am a Free Woman and what are you?”, she sneered at him. “A fucking thief”, she spit to the ground next to her feet.

 

The Thief smirked. “You actually sound quite believable but you're no better than me – you're _worse_ than me. You pretend to be a Free Woman but you're not. You're a Runaway, a murderer.” For somebody being chocked, the Thief was surprisingly calm.

 

“I'm no murderer”, she said in a low voice and both the Thief and her knew how she hadn't denied the fact of being a Runaway.

 

“So? Then how did you escape? Did you persuade your owner to just let you go?” He said it with such venom in his voice that Maria frowned. He might be a halfbreed but he must have faced the same hate she had – why did he talk then as if he was one of _them_?

 

But in the end she slowly let go of him and felt exhausted. “I have no desire to kill – not you or anybody else.”

 

“Wise decision”, the Thief said and rubbed his neck where her fingers would leave marks the next day.

 

“But I will fight for my life”, Maria added. “And whoever stands in my way, will suffer.”

 

She stepped back and made her way over to the dead wolf – she somehow thought he didn't deserve to be ignored like this and... it sort of felt right to guard him. Eventually the Thief joined her and he sat down with arched brows, obviously surprised she didn't chase him away after what he'd said to her.

 

“So”, he said slowly, hand reaching out to brush his finger across a paw but Maria chased his it away. “What do you remember of your home?”

 

Maria smiled sadly, no matter how much it hurt to think back to that time, the memories always made her smile. “I grew up in the Highlands”, she said not really sure why she answered him – maybe so she wouldn't forget about her own heritage. She lived far up in the mountains all by herself. She didn't get to talk about it too often and sometimes... sometimes she was afraid she'd forget. “I remember all the flower fields in the summer. All you could see were millions and millions of flowers. I always imagined the actual sea to look like those fields, I've never been to the beach but... this was what I thought it'd look like.” She shook her head as if to get rid of the memories, the edges too sharp for her to handle and she was afraid of cutting herself all the sudden “It's none of your business”, she eventually said sourly. “It's not your home.”

 

“No, you're right, I've never been to the Island. But I heard the rumors, things are bad over there.”

 

“You're right”, Maria nodded. “It's a god forbidden lawless place where only the worst of the worst come together. Freelancers, bounty hunters, outcasts, murderer, pirates.” Maria sighed heavily. “And yet the people there are free... unlike here.”

 

“They probably say the same about this place-”

 

“Nobody says this about this place. After the king-”

 

“But the king is now”, the Thief interrupted her. “And things won't change until he's dead.”

 

Maria scoffed. “The king's a puppet, nothing more-”

 

“A puppet he might be, but he's still a dangerous puppet.”

 

“You do realize if somebody is listening to us they will execute us because of treason?”

 

Now it was his turn to scoff at her. “Treason wouldn't be the only thing why I'd end up with a noose around my neck.” He glanced sideways at her. “And they would quarter you for murder anyway.”

 

“You don't really look like a man who's afraid of death”, Maria noted and nodded at him. “When I had my knife against your throat you didn't even flinch. Why?”

 

“The last time I was afraid of death was when I was a kid and my father would still tell me stories before sending me to bed.”

 

Maria craned her neck as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. “What happened for that to change?”

 

The Thief shrugged. “Came to realize life can be worse than death.”

 

The answer made Maria's eyes go wide before she found the ground underneath her feet again. Now, to _that_ she could relate. “And I only have one”, the Thief said. “So I might as well fight for it.” He offered a smirk. “Just like you.”

 

Her lips took the shape of a small o as realization hit her like clashing waves. “You're part of the rebellion. I heard rumors but- the Border Lands are no part of the Holy Land so why would they even bother to come here”, she gasped and stared into empty space before looking up at him.

 

“I'm not the first rebel you saw, you...”, he pointed at the dead man to his feet. “You helped his friend.”

 

“They are no rebels”, she said and shook her head.

 

“But you are one”, he said.

 

Maria looked up with a frown. “I'm not.”

 

“Not yet. But if I offer you to join me, would you?”

 

“I-” She stopped talking and thought about his words. She actually had to _think_ about his offer. Just a year or two ago, she wouldn't even have hesitated and followed him right away. But that was then, when she'd still been hurt from her escape and her trauma losing her family, her life... She was older now, she had a small farm, she could live on her own, she was nobody's property, she was a Free Woman – more or less. She had a good life, really, she did. Why would she want to give up on that? And in all honesty, she was no fool – she knew it wouldn't take long for the king's army to smash the rebels. Sooner or later they all would fall, and- And they would come for the Border Lands too. Maybe not next year but maybe the year after that, when the rebels were no more.

 

“You're going to kill the king, aren't you?”

 

The Thief nodded.

 

“How?”, Maria whispered in a hoarse voice and watched as the Thief simply held up the little golden ball.

 

“I'm going to kill him with this”, he said.

 

“You don't even know how to wield it”, she said and crossed her arms. “You couldn't even help him.” She pointed to the wolf.

 

He shook his head. “This Apple-” Oh so that's what he called it “- can give or take lives. Apparently, I only know how to take them.”

 

“Oh so now you do”, Maria scoffed, obviously not believing him.

 

“You want me to prove it?”

 

Maria arched one elegant eyebrow, looking around the cave. “Well there's nobody here you could kill so...”

 

“I could still kill you”, the Thief smirked.

 

“You try.”

 

“I wouldn't even have to, not with this”, he said and held out the Apple and just as she wanted to reach for it, pulled back. “I don't want to kill you”, he said eventually and Maria rolled her eyes. “But I _can_ wield it”, he said.

 

“Then prove it”, Maria challenged him once more and craned her neck as he stepped so close their chests were almost touching. He was a bit larger than her but she refused to tip her head back.

 

“Alright.” He looked down at her, the smirk gone from his face. “I prove it.”

 


	11. King Kill 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how to insert pictures in notes so ... there's fanart. Yes.

“Where are we?”, Maria asked as she looked around the cave but it was looking... differently now. She shrieked and jumped a step back as she saw about a dozen little creatures feasting at the wolf's body. “What are those?”, she demanded to know, disgust written all over her face.

 

“We're in the World In Between. The path that connects the Netherworlds with the one of the Living”, the Thief explained. “Those are Animus, they carry the dead body to the Netherworlds.”

 

“They're eating him”, Maria said with disgust and tried to kick at one, a little dark shadow that was neither human nor demon with yellow empty eyes starring at her. Her foot only met empty air although the body dissolved in front of her, fell apart but quickly re-build itself again. From far away it could almost look like a small child but almost faceless with a too big a mouth and without any hair but with a long, hairy tail and body. Maria got goosebumps all over her body from just looking at them.

 

“They eat his soul to take it back with them”, he explained to her in a quiet gentle voice as if he'd witnessed it many times.

 

“Can't you stop them?”

 

“Only the Shadow could stop them”, the Thief shook his head and Maria turned around, looking at him with wide eyes. “Once they're here, it's already too late though.”

 

“You know the Shadow? What he is?”

 

He shrugged with his shoulders, “Of course I do. I-” But he stopped speaking and turned around, looking to the entrance of the cave where an eagle had landed. His eyes went wide as he watched the eagle turn into a man made of flesh and blood, walking naked into the cave. “Now _that's_ something I haven't seen before”, he murmured and Altair walked right through him, not able to see either him or Maria. 

 

Maria watched as well, blushing when he leaned down to grab a pair of pants and quickly turned away. Hah, sometimes she found it funny she still possessed something as innocent as modesty. She blushed even more when she saw the amused look on the Thief's face. “Oh shut up”, she growled and walked past him. “We should leave him alone”, she said as Altair slumped down in front of the wolf, face buried in his fur. 

 

“He doesn't even know we're here”, the Thief muttered and cocked his head to one side, a frown on his face. “But he does have a strange relationship with his wolf, no?”

 

Maria sighed deeply, her fingers slowly curling into a tight fist. “He was more than just a wolf”,she said carefully. She glanced at the Thief from the corner of her eye. He seemed to know so much about things she couldn't understand so maybe- maybe he knew how to end Altair's misery as well. And if not... well, it was worth a try, wasn't it? “What do you know about curses?”

 

“Curses? If you ask me, curses are parts of fairy tales-”

 

“Oh like Animus are, huh?” Maria craned her neck and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Altair's cursed, his friend was cursed.” She pointed at the man on the ground mourning his dead companion. “Man by day and eagle by night. Now make your pick how it was with the wolf.”

 

“What, you mean that- he's a man?” The Thief blinked.

 

“A man by night a wolf by day”, Maria said eventually her voice turning down to a whisper. She turned back around, watching Altair, his fingers moving through the fur gently, a hand scratching the wolf underneath his chin lovingly with his ear pressed against his ribcage as if he could still hear a heartbeat there. She understood now. She finally understood.

 

She turned back to the Thief. “Two lovers separated by day and night. That wolf was a man, Altair's friend. His lover.”

 

“Oh...” The Thief looked a bit stunned. “So he's one of... _them_.”

 

Maria glared at him. “Doesn't make him any less of a man.”

 

“No?” He wore that smirk on his lips again, eyebrows arched as he looked down at her. “Why do you think you could stand a chance with him?”

 

Maria scoffed. “I don't, what makes you think I do?”

 

“Just the way you look at him.”

 

“You must be seeing ghosts.”

 

“Oh yes I do, but they're eating your friend's lover's soul right now.”

 

“You're such a heartless man.”

 

“No, I'm just a man who likes to survive.”

 

“So I see why you have no friends.”

 

“Because you have so many of them?”

 

There was silence in between them, Maria simply staring at him. “You're so full of yourself”, she said eventually.

 

The Thief looked at her a while longer, then moved out of the cave and since she was in this world with him and didn't know how to get out of it herself, Maria followed him, had no other choice about it. “So what else can this little ball of yours do?”, she pondered and crossed her arms in front of her chest as they walked through the forest – only the forest looked differently and not anything like how she remembered it. There were more trees although most of them were dead, long grotesque shadows creeping along the grounds and no light would touch the snow.

 

“I think it's a Key”, he muttered and kept on walking as if he was following a path Maria couldn't see. “It connects the three worlds.”

 

“Three worlds?”

 

“Heaven”, he said and pointed upwards. “Earth”, he made a wide motion with his hand. “And Hell”, he pointed down to his feet. “Plus it offers you a sight to what has been, what will be and what is.”

 

“So it controls time?”, Maria pondered carefully.

 

“No”, he said and shook his head. “It only grants you a look, you can't control it.”

 

“And it got into your possession how exactly?”

 

“I told you I'm a thief”, the Thief said. “Simply stole it.”

 

“Simply”, Maria said with a deep frown. “Just like that.”

 

“Yes just like that”, the Thief explained and Maria honestly didn't believe just one word but shrugged – she'd get her explanation sooner or later, she was sure of that. 

 

“How come you believe in the Shadow? Most people don't.”

 

“Like they don't believe in Heaven and Hell and yet they all run to church like soulless zombies, praying for forgiveness”, he huffed. “The king doesn't make it any better...”

 

“But you believe in him. Why?”

 

He held up that little golden ball of his. “Most people can't explain the power of this, neither can I – but to be honest, it's easier to believe in the Shadow than in this. I'm no fool”, he told her and his voice turned husky. “But I trust my own eyes and believe in what I've seen.” He stopped at a small hill, a single tree standing on its top and knelt, his fingers moving through the snow.

 

“Why couldn't you save him?” Maria said in a whisper, looking over his shoulder and watched how he was drawing a sign in a language she didn't know into the snow. 

 

“Told you I don't understand all of it yet.”

 

“If you can enter the World in Between and see the Animus then... wouldn't be there a way from keeping them eating the passed ones soul?”

 

“I told you girl, only the Shadow could stop them.”

 

“Yes, you said he could stop them but I'm talking about killing them.”

 

“You can't kill them, they're ghosts.” 

 

“You could send them back to the Netherworld couldn't you?”

 

The Thief shrugged and stood up again, walking up the hill and Maria followed him. “With the right weapon, maybe.”

 

“And that ball of your's isn't the right one?”, Maria kept on pondering underneath heavy breathing as she almost had to jog to keep up with his speed.

 

“The _Apple_ ”, the Thief said. “No.”

 

“Did you try it before?”

 

He sighed heavily and for a moment Maria thought he wouldn't answer her as he crouched down once more, drawing another sign into the snow before walking back down the hill with big steps. “Yes”, he said eventually. “But it wasn't like this, the Animus hadn't been there yet and-”

 

“Did it work back then?”

 

The Thief walked in front of her but she could still see how stiff his shoulders were. “No.”

 

“Yet you tried again.”

 

“I didn't really have much of a choice, did I? That friend of yours threatened me.” He looked at her sharply. “I had to find a way for you taking that arrow down. I simply used the chance I had.” 

 

“For somebody who's not afraid of death-”

 

“That doesn't mean I _want_ to die”, he cut her off. 

 

“Neither do I.”

 

“So we stand on the same side, great.”

 

They walked back to the cave but before the Thief could enter, Maria wrapped her fingers around his shoulder, holding him back. “Don't. Leave the man in peace. He's grieving.”

 

“Aren't we all in these days? He's no special snowflake”, the Thief muttered but kept still in his tracks and looked towards the entrance. 

 

“He was with the Brotherhood”, Maria said before she could even stop herself and now _that_ made him look at her. 

 

“Oh he was?”

 

“He will kill you if you try anything funny.”

 

“Believe me, killing him is one of my leasts interests right now.” 

 

“So what _are_ your interests?”, Maria said but it sounded more like a challenge. 

 

The Thief looked at her, a crooked smile on his lips. “To survive of course.”

 

 

 

xxx

 

 

 

The cave was empty when he returned. As soon as Altair's feet touched the ground the first rays of sunlight broke through the trees behind his back, touching his feathers, his peak and soon he stood tall and proud in the snow, going quickly inside to grab some clothings. Malik was still there, hadn't been moved at all and the fire had almost died. He didn't care about the fire, didn't make any attempt to get it up high again but sat down in front of Malik's body. It was quiet and Altair didn't want to let his anger burn though him why the cave was abandoned with Malik lying there like pray for animals to rip his dead body apart. His grief was paralyzing him and he sat there with his legs crossed underneath him, hand reaching out to let his fingers move through the soft fur. He pressed down against the wolf's flank, his body was cold and stiff. Altair leaned forwards, the strength in his body crumbling like dried up salt dough and he pressed his face into Malik's fur, holding on to him as if he could pull him right back into the world of the living.

 

“I'm sorry”, he said eventually and the words felt as sharp as razorblades in his throat. “I'm sorry”, he whispered again. “I've failed you, I couldn't-” He stopped talking, choking on the words. He'd never been a man who shared his emotions with those around him – except Malik. Malik was probably the only person in this world who could read Altair like a book, who knew him in and out. And now he was gone. He thought he'd suffocate on the pain. He'd prefer to die a thousand deaths than to live in a world where Malik no longer held a place.

 

It still felt unreal even now when he was lying here, on top of Malik's dead body. It _was_ unreal because Malik couldn't be dead, he couldn't he-

 

Altair looked up, he thought he'd heard something but the morning was still early and the birds only waking up. Nobody was here with him, it was just Malik.

 

His eyes looked glassy but he didn't cry, wouldn't cry.

 

“I've failed you”, he said his voice more steady now. “And I'm sorry – I will never forgive myself for that. We shouldn't have taken the path through the mountains. I shouldn't have beeen so... stubborn.” He wiped his eyes although his hand came back dry. “Malik. I will find him”, he said it close to his ear. “I will find him, I will make him pay.” His fingers turned into a trembling tight fist so his knuckles turned white. “I will kill him. I promise.”

 

There was the sound of a stone being kicked and Altair looked up, watching Maria and the Thief standing in the cave's entrance.

 

“We need to bury him”, Maria said.

 

“I tried”, Altair said and he practically spat it at her, his voice husky with anger. “It's too damn cold, I can't dig a hole that'd be deep enough for him.” He was frustrated yes, but mostly he was nothing but a hurt man.

 

“Then we have to leave him here”, the Thief said, unimpressed with a heart just as cold as the god damn winter outside. 

 

“Speak another word and I cut out your tongue”, Altair growled. 

 

“You have a very violent friend”, he muttered at Maria and she simply offered him an angry glare. 

 

“If we can't bury him, maybe we can seal this cave”, she offered as she walked past the Thief and over to Altair. He growled like an animal at her and she kept her distance, moving slower now until she could crouch down across from Altair at the other side of Malik's body. “It's the only chance we have to give him the proper grave he deserves”, she said in a clam voice, the words softly spoken. 

 

Altair sighed, it was a frustrated sigh like he was about to give up. He rubbed his temples and hide his eyes behind his hand. “And how- how would we do that?” He looked up at Maria with red-rimmed eyes. 

 

“Could you do it?” Maria turned back to the Thief, still standing there and waiting impatiently. 

 

“Could I do what?”

 

Maria rolled her eyes. “Help us seal the cave.”

 

“How would I do that?”

 

“With your ball- the Apple”, Maria said and tried to sound a bit less annoyed. 

 

The Thief looked at her with an expression that said 'Are you kidding me?' “What do you think this is? Like a fairy's... magic wand?” He scoffed dryly. “This won't do a thing”, he said and held the Apple up, Altair looking at it briefly before his focus was drawn back to the wolf.

 

“I will think of something”, Altair said eventually and Maria thought he sounded so much more tired now. “Maria-” Their eyes met and she feared she would drown in Altair's sorrow. He sat up, groaning heavily as if every movement hurt, his naked fingers finding her shoulder in a gentle squeeze. She knew this was more of a thank you than she would probably ever get from him. “He was mine-”, he said in a whisper. “It's my responsibility now. I will think of a way, I-” He looked up, towards the entrance of the cave watching how the sun greeted a new day. “I take it alone from here.” 

 

“You will never make it”, Maria said straight out without even blinking. “No offense”, she added as he shot her an angry glare. “But I know these mountains better than anybody else.”

 

“You weren't much of a help so far”, Altair barked, his eyes moving back to the wolf and Maria would have liked to pretend that hadn't hurt at all but damn, it did. 

 

“He wouldn't have even made it through the night without me.” Her voice was husky and rough and the tension in the small cave was so thick, somebody could cut it with a knife. 

 

And maybe that had only prolonged Malik's suffering.

 

Altair hadn't even realized that he'd said that out loud but when Maria's palm found his cheek in a forceful slap he knew he had. He simply stared up at her, his skin reddening where she'd hit him. “Malik truly must have been a great man”, Maria whispered with narrowed eyes. “For being able to see something good in you.”

 

“I don't think it's save for either of us staying here”, Maria said and straightened her shoulders. “I will go with him”, she said and pointed at the Thief behind here. “He-”

 

“Desmond”, he finally said and it made Maria look up at him. “You may call me Desmond”, he said with a small bow of his head and yes, that truly was a name from the Island.

 

“Desmond offered me a new path”, she said. “I think you could profit from it.”

 

“Could profit from it how?”

 

Maria smiled bitterly. “He knows how to kill a Shadow”, she lied straight at Altair but she knew from the way he looked at her, she got him hooked.

 

 

* * *

[Opallight](http://opallight.tumblr.com/) did some amazing fanart for this chapter so now you can all see how an Animus looks like:

 

 


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